


Saving x Them

by Lexilicious



Category: Hunter X Hunter
Genre: Angst, Blood, Car Accident, Comas - Freeform, Depression, Fluffy Moments, Gon - Freeform, Illumi, Kurapika - Freeform, Leorio - Freeform, M/M, Melody - Freeform, More tags to be added, Past Abuse, Torture, a little neon, chrollo, chrollo is the leader of a gang, daddyleorio, hisoka - Freeform, killua - Freeform, mamapika, other bodyguards, sometimes suggestive, the gang is called the Phantom Troupe, wing - Freeform, zushi - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-06-18
Updated: 2017-11-13
Packaged: 2018-07-15 18:59:05
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 30
Words: 72,386
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7234660
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lexilicious/pseuds/Lexilicious
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Leorio and Kurapika have been together for years. Leorio was ready to ask Kurapika to marry him. But on the night he was planning it, the two males find two young boys who seemed to be runaways. Kurapika wants to help them, but Leorio isn't so excited. In his eyes, they ruined his chance. It gets even worse when Kurapika becomes fond of them and wants to keep them. How bad will this damage their relationship? And how are Gon and Killua coping with this?<br/>More new dangers hit everyone at every corner, more enemies and allies alike gained.<br/>How much does it take to make a person break?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Finding those kids

**Author's Note:**

> This is the 2011 version. I don't like the 1999 version all that much. This won't be the exact same, I'll be changing things up.

 

Leorio laughed as he and his boyfriend walked out of a restaurant. Kurapika smiled and held his hand, blushing. Leorio laced their fingers together and squeezed. "Let's head to the park," he said. "We've been out all day and you just treated me to dinner. What's the occasion?" Kurapika let out a laugh. "You'll see," Leorio hummed. Kurapika shook his head. "You're weird," he teased. "Maybe, but you love me for it," Leorio retorted with a grin. "That I do," Kurapika agreed.

The moon was full, and shined brightly at the park, reflecting on the lake. Leorio brought Kurapika between two weeping willow trees with cherry blossoms on them, the lake right next to them. "It's beautiful," Kurapika breathed in awe. Leorio nodded.  _'Which is why I brought you here...'_ he thought and gulped, the small box in his pocket suddenly felt like it weighed a ton.  _'What if he rejects me?!'_ Leorio took a deep breath.

"Leorio? Are you okay? You look pale," Kurapika said worriedly.

"Ah! Y-yeah! I'm fine!" He stammered then cleared his throat. "Kurapika, we've known eachother for awhile now, and-"

"Leorio!"

"Let me finish!" Leorio snapped.

"No! Look!" Kurapika ran past him.

"Eh?" Leorio turned and followed him.

Kurapika stopped by two unconscious kids. He got on his knees and shook them. "Hey! Are you two alright?!" he asked worriedly. They groaned and their eyes fluttered open. They jumped up and scooted back. "Are you alright?" Kurapika asked again. The raven haired boy with brown eyes shifted then nodded. "We're just tired..." he mumbled. The white haired boy narrowed his icy blue eyes at him. "That's good..." Kurapika said in relief. "What are you kids doing here anyway? It's late," Leorio grumbled. "We're-" the raven started but the white haired boy glared at him.

"Don't tell them anything! They might call the cops," he hissed. "Damn right I will!" Leorio took his phone out. Seeing the looks of panic on the young boys faces, Kurapika snatched the phone from him. "Stop it, Leorio!" he snapped. "They could be murderers for all we know, Kurapika!" Leorio glared fiercely at him. "We're not murderers!" the raven said angrily. Kurapika turned to them, face softening. "I can tell. You two don't have the eyes of a killer," he said. They went silent.

"So what are your names?"

Neither answered.

"I'm Kurapika, and that's Leorio. My boyfriend."

"He's an idiot," the white haired boy said flatly. "Show some respect, brat!" Leorio yelled, making the white haired boy clench his teeth and the other flinch. "Leorio, stop it!" Kurapika said in annoyance then looked at the boys again and offered a small smile. "Your names? We won't call the cops," he promised.

"Well maybe  _you_ won't, but  _I-_ "

 _"We won't_ call the cops," Kurapika repeated sternly. After a moment of hesitation, the raven spoke up. "I'm Gon," he said. He nudged his friend, who said nothing. He sighed. "This is Killua," he said. The boy, Killua, crossed his arms. "Gon, how do we know we can trust them?" he asked. "I can see it in their eyes, they genuinely want to help us!" Gon replied. "Well, blondie over there does, not the idiot over there," Killua retorted. Leorio was about to yell at him, but Kurapika shot him a look, warning him to shut up.

"...Alright...Fine. But one sketchy thing, we're leaving," he said. Gon nodded and brightened. "Okay!" he agreed happily. "Let's go, our apartment isn't too far from here," Kurapika stood up and helped them up. They walked off, leaving Leorio behind, dumbfounded. He clenched the box tightly in his pocket and felt his eyes prick in tears. Tears of frustration and sadness.

"Leorio! You coming or not?" Kurapika called.

Leorio jolted and looked up. Kurapika was looking at him, already around 15 feet away, both boys turned to stare. "Y-yeah, I'm coming," he called and hurried after them.

Once they arrived at the apartment, Leorio unlocked the door and opened it. Kurapika and the two boys walked in.

"Woah! This is amazing! It's so...cozy looking!" Gon exclaimed. Kurapika smiled at his enthusiasm. And turned to the living room. It  _was_ cozy. Against the left wall was a dark blue couch, and a couple chairs the same color. A low table was not even 2 feet away from the couch. On the table was a vase with a single rose in it, a tv remote, and a book. On the far wall next to it was a large bookshelf, there wasn't a single empty spot, and the window by it was opened slightly, a small breeze blew it, the curtains blew along with it. On the right wall was a big shelf with a flat screen tv, and a dvd player. Directly to the right was a small kitchen, complete with a fridge, a long counter, several cupboards, and cabinets and drawers. To the side was a table connected to the wall. Not to mention the smell of the apartment was nice; it was like a warm vanilla cinnamon scent.

"Um...Kurapika?"

"Hm? What is it, Gon?" Kurapika looked at him. Gon shifted around shyly. "Um...where's your bathroom?" he asked. "You go through our bedroom to get to it," he opened a door afew feet away from the tv, and motioned him inside.

The bedroom was nice too. It had a simple bed for two in the corner, a side table with a clock and lamp, another bookshelf full of books, afew drawers, and a desk. On the right was the bathroom. It was a simple, typical bathroom.

"There it is," Kurapika said, pointing. "Thank you!" he rushed into it and closed the door.

Killua walked in and frowned. "Just so you know, I still don't trust you," he said haughtily. "That's alright," Kurapika replied. It didn't surprise him. "You two must have been through some shit, it's understandable. But please, do make yourself at home," he said. Killua looked away and mumbled.

"Hm?" Kurapika tilted his head to the side. "I said it's that other guy, Leorio, who I don't really trust," Killua admitted and crossed his arms again. "I don't trust you...completely. But I do like you. Somewhat."

"I'm glad," Kurapika smiled before Leorio stormed in. "Kurapika, I need to talk to you," he hissed.

"I'll be right back," Kurapika told Killua and followed Leorio out.

~

Killua sighed when the blonde followed the other man, Leorio. He knew Leorio didn't like them. Why, he didn't know. They didn't do anything.

Gon came out and looked around. "Hey, where's Kurapika?" he asked. Killua put a finger to his lips and motioned to the door. Gon's mouthed form an 'o' shape and they both leaned in. They knew they were eavesdropping, but they couldn't help it. They both knew they were causing a conflict.

"Kurapika, I don't want them here." Leorio's voice said firmly. "Well too bad, we can't send them out. They're so skinny, who knows how long they've been on the streets, they probably haven't even eaten in a long time!" Kurapika argued. "They smell bad," Leorio insisted.

Gon frowned, offended.

"An easily fixed problem," Kurapika dismissed it. "I don't like them!" Leorio said through gritted teeth.

"Why not?! What have they done to you?!" Kurapika asked in annoyance. "They...they ruined everything! I want them out!" he snapped. "WHAT have they ruined?!" Kurapika demanded. "EVERYTHING!!" Leorio exploded. "Well, I'M not sending them out! Those kids need a home, temporary or not! And dammit, I plan on helping them! If you can't handle that with a good attitude, then get out!" Kurapika yelled back. "FINE! I will!" Leorio said in anger.

The two boys heard stomping and peeked out slightly. Kurapika's back was to them, fists clenched. Leorio opened the door and paused. "Oh, and Kurapika?"

"What is it?"

"I  _was_ going to propose to you! Happy now?" He took the box out of his pocket and threw it at him, the box hit the wall and fell open, revealing a beautiful diamond ring with  _'L & K' _engraved inside.

After that, Leorio left, slamming the door.

"Kurapika..?" Gon spoke nervously as Kurapika began to shake. Kurapika stiffened and turned, giving them a fake smile. "Don't worry about him. He can easily get himself a hotel room. He's a doctor, he gets paid well," he said.

"Okay, but, what about you? Are you okay?" Gon asked. "Don't worry about me," Kurapika laughed. Gon nodded uncertainly while Killua frowned. He noticed tears pricking at the blonde boy's eyes. He was hiding his pain for them, even though they were the cause of his pain. "How long were you two together?" he asked. Kurapika looked at him, surprised at the question. He was quiet for a moment before answering quietly. "We met when I was 11, he was 13. We've been dating since I was 13, and he was 15. So around 5 years," he replied.

"You're 18?" Gon was startled. "But you look like you're 15!"

"Yes, I'm 18. I just turned 18 in April. What about you two?" he asked. "We're both 12!" Gon answered easily. "Leorio said we smell," Killua mentioned. Kurapika looked away, blushing and rubbing the back of his neck. "Well, you two have probably been out for awhile..." he said shyly. "Is it alright if we take a bath?" Gon asked. "Yes, go ahead. I'll make you some dinner. You must be starving. Do you have any preferences?" he asked. The boys shook their heads. "Alright. Oh! And when you finish, I'll give you both some shirts. They'll be too big for you, but I'll have your clothes washed. Tomorrow, we can buy some more," Kurapika offered. "Thank you so much!" Gon brightened. "Y-yeah. Thanks..." Killua nodded and they both went to the bathroom.

Kurapika sighed and looked over at the ring. He picked it up and looked it over, his dark gray eyes tearing up again.

 _'He was going to propose to me. I had no idea...I should've known...and I chose these kids over him...I'm such a horrible boyfriend...I don't deserve him...and he rightfully left me...Leorio, I am so sorry...'_ tears spilled down his face and he hiccuped, biting back a sob. He didn't regret taking the kids in, they needed help, but he did regret saying such rude things to Leorio.

Killua stared at Kurapika from the threshold, frowning again. He stepped back and hurried back to the bathroom to meet up with Gon.

~

"Gon, I think we just ruined Kurapika and Leorio's relationship," Killua said quietly as Gon sat in the tub, his green top and jeans thrown on the floor along with his tearing sneakers. He took his own blue shirt off and slid his jeans off as well, sitting down. "I know. I feel so bad about it, but I feel like if we try to leave, it'll all be for nothing. We'd be leaving their relationship like this. Kurapika would be all alone," Gon said sadly. "We shouldn't have come here," Killua mumbled. "I agree with you..." Gon sighed.

"Gon."

"Yeah?"

"...Kurapika was crying. When I came back, he was holding that ring and crying."

"...Oh..." Gon looked guilt-stricken. This nice teen took them in, got dumped by his boyfriend who he's known for 7 years and dated for 5 years, all for two runaways who he barely knew. They were taking everything. The bath, the boy's attention, food, a nice place to sleep, and money. Kurapika was losing everything. This just wasn't fair. "We need to get them back together!" Gon said with sudden determination. "But how? We don't know where he'll be staying, and we don't have a phone," Killua said in confusion.

"Kurapika said Leorio was a doctor, right? We'll visit him at the hospital!"

"But  _which_ hospital?"

"...I haven't thought about that..." Gon deflated. "Well, whatever. We'll figure something out," Killua sighed.

Once they both finished, they got out and noticed Kurapika had laid out two shirts, both plain white with long sleeves. "He doesn't seem to own much," Killua remarked and slid it on. It was like a nightgown...which was perfectly normal for a 12 year old boy, thank you very much! "He has that weird thing on him. Do you think it's a dress?" Gon wondered. "I don't know, we could ask him," Killua said. And with that, they went out.

~

Kurapika stood near the boiler, watching the rice boil. In the pan on the stove he was making steamed meat and vegetables. It was tasty, and filling. One of Kurapika's best dishes. He heard feet padding in and turned, facing the two boys. "Hey, Kurapika?" Gon bit his lip.

"Yes?"

"Um...are you...wearing a dress?" he blurted.

Kurapika flinched. "No...this is called a tabard. It's something..." Kurapika swallowed, "the Kurta clan wore..."

"I heard of them. They were all murdered 5 years ago, right?" Killua asked. Kurapika nodded silently. "Yes. I was out of town with Leorio-" he choked slightly but coninued- "and when I came back, all 128 people of my clan was dead. Leorio...he helped me through it..." he looked down, his blonde bangs shadowing his eyes. "I'm...sorry we asked," Gon said.

"No, it's fine. You were just curious," Kurapika said, turning and getting two plates. He served them both rice and put the meat and vegetables on it, putting them down on the table and handed them a fork each. "Thank you!" both boys said in unison. Kurapika smiled slightly. "You're welcome. Just put the dishes in the sink when you're done," he walked to his room.

"This is so good," Gon said in awe, mouth full of food, making some of it splat on Killua's face. Killua wiped it off and flung it back at him. Gon pouted. "If this wasn't someone elses place, I would throw this back," Gon mumbled. Killua only grinned his catty grin.

When they finished, they put their plates in the sink, as instructed.

Not long after they finished, Kurapika walked out, in a plain long sleeved white shirt and matching pants, his tabard was gone. "You two can take my bed," he said. "What? But-" Gon started to protest. "The bed is made for two. You both wouldn't be comfortable sleeping on the couch," Kurapika interrupted. Both Gon and Killua nodded nervously.

 _'Here we go. Taking more.'_ Killua thought.

They all walked to the room and climbed in the bed. Kurapika pulled the blankets over them, knowing full well they could do it themselves. But he was working mechanically. The two boys didn't argue. They would let him have this.

"Kurapika?" Gon spoke nervously.

"Yes?"

"Are we...ruining everything?"

"Like Leorio said," Killua added.

Kurapika's eyes widened. "Of course not. Leorio was just being a jerk, he'll get over it sooner or later..." he sighed.  _'Later. Much later. And it was me who was the jerk. Not him...'_

"But you two broke up, right?" Gon asked. Kurapika frowned. "Yes, but he shouldn't push starving kids out just because he wanted to marry me," he said. Using the past tense of 'want' was painful. He was positive Leorio didn't want anything to do with him now. "We'll fix it, we promise!" Gon said. "No, you don't need to. If he wants to come back, he'll come back."

 _'Yet, I'll be the one begging forgiveness...'_ Kurapika didn't voice his thoughts.

"Well, we have to do something to make up for us taking everything!" Killua said. "Taking everything?" Kurapika repeated and shook his head. "You're not taking anything. You're accepting. I'm offering. There's a difference. As long as I know you're both okay, then I'm fine," he said and switched off the lamp, making it dark. He closed the curtains and walked out, stopping at the threshold. "Goodnight Gon. Goodnight Killua," he said.

"Goodnight Kurapika!" the boys chorused.

Kurapika closed the door behind him. We walked to the kitchen, cleaning up any mess they made, and the dishes before putting them away. He walked over to the tv and bent down, opening one of the drawers and took out a spare blanket he and Leorio had kept there. He closed it and walked back to the couch, laying down, his head on the armrest. He tucked himself in and stared at the ceiling.

Tears pooled his eyes and rolled down his cheeks. "Leorio...I'm so sorry..." he whispered.

Afterwards, he turned and curled up, then began to cry himself to sleep.


	2. Memories and Shopping

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kurapika takes a trip down memory lane, and takes Gon and Killua shopping. Gon and Killua are trying to find out how to bring Kurapika and Leorio back together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Soooo I WAS going to update on Tuesday, but I ended up forgetting my password, so I had to reset it. But THANK YOU SO MUCH for the feedback and kudos! ^w^ they give me life!  
> Anyway, enjoy this next chapter!!

 

_Young Kurapika stood in the forest, dead bodies surrounding him. His gray eyes stared unseeingly. He was in too much shock to cry, or even move. When he finally broke out of his stupor, he blinked. "Mom..? Dad..?" he shakily walked around the freshly killed bodies, the smell of blood filling his nose, making him feel sick. But he kept going. He had to see if his parents were okay. In the back of his mind, he knew they were dead. But he didn't want to believe it. He ran down the familiar path, to his home._

_When he got there, the door was stuck. He jiggled the knob then stepped back, giving it a harsh kick. The door slammed open and he walked in, looking around. He froze when he reached the kitchen._

_His mom was hanging by her feet on the ceiling, a large pool of blood below her, and her skin was deathly white. Kurapika quickly figured out that she had already bled to death. "Mom..." he sobbed then hurried out, looking for his dad._

_What he saw was even worse than his mom._

_His dad had been decapitated. In fact, all his limbs were gone, leaving behind his torso. Kurapika saw the arms and legs strewn around the room, then shakily looking for the head. After proving unsuccessful, he got on his knees and lifted the sheets to look under the bed._

_His dad's head was there, eyes still open._

_Kurapika dropped the sheet and fell back, screaming. Tears finally pricked his eyes and he ran out._

_"Pairo!" he called, hoping his friend had miraculously survived. He searched every inch of the village, but couldn't find him. He deflated and walked to the river, where he always sat when he was upset._

_He looked at his reflection in the water, then from the corner of his eye, he saw a familiar, smaller body. "Pairo!" he shouted and unthinkingly, dived in. He swam over to the body, picking him up and returning to the surface. He placed Pairo in the grass and got out, shaking Pairo's body. "Pairo, Pairo, Pairo!" he chanted, hoping, but knowing, Pairo would never answer._

_He started to cry again and fled the forest, heading straight to town._

_Thankfully, Leorio was in town, visiting his grandma._

_Kurapika struggled to remember where the house was, but managed to find it before it got too late._

_He knocked at the door, shaking. He was tired, cold, and scared. After what seemed like hours, but was probably not even 20 seconds, the door opened, revealing his other best friend. "Who is it..." Leorio yawned and rubbed his eyes before looking at the visitor. When he saw who it was, he jolted. "Kurapika! Are you okay?! Shit, what happened?!" he grabbed the shorter boy's arm and pulled him in. "You're soaking wet! Kurapika, it's November, you'll catch pneumonia like this!"_

_"I..." Kurapika burst into tears._

_Leorio was startled, he never saw Kurapika cry before. It scared him. "H-hey, wh-whatever happened, it'll be okay..." he tried lamely. "No, it won't...everyone...my whole clan is dead!" the blonde sobbed. Leorio softened and hugged him tightly, not caring that he was getting wet. "Shh, it'll be okay. You have me, and I won't let you go."_

_"...Promise?"_

_"I promise. I won't ever leave you."_

...

"Kurapika! Wake up!"

Kurapika groaned, scrunching his eyes shut tighter before his eyes fluttered open. Gon was at the edge of the couch, eyes wide. "Are you okay? You were crying in your sleep!" he explained. Kurapika sat up, rubbing his eyes. Sure enough, tears were on his fists.

_How embarrassing. Crying infront of a 12 year old, after I told him I'm fine._

"Y-yeah, I just..." he shook his head. "Remembering Leorio?" Gon guessed. Kurapika hesitated before nodding. Gon, knowing the blonde doesn't want to talk about it, sat on the edge of the couch. "What time is it?" Kurapika asked him.

"Um, a little past 2...I have really sensitive hearing, so it wasn't hard to hear you...I got worried," Gon said. "Oh, I'm sorry for waking you," Kurapika apologized guiltily. Gon shook his head and climbed further on the couch and hugged him, arms around his neck. Kurapika froze in surprise, before accepting the hug.

"It'll be okay, I promise!" Gon said. Kurapika allowed a small smile. A 12 year old boy was comforting an 18 year old for having a nightmare. Oh the irony. But instead of feeling embarrassed like he normally would, he felt relaxed. Gon gave off a feeling that made you relax and feel better.

"I'll stay with you until you fall asleep," Gon said with a slight, teasing smile. This made Kurapika laugh. "Thanks, but I'm good," he said.

Gon pouted. "Promise?"

It was like deja vu was hitting him. Kurapika smiled.

"Yeah, I promise."

...

Everyone was up and about by 9 in the morning, Kurapika had put the boys clothes in the laundry, and was currently making blueberry pancakes. Both of the younger boys were bathing, chatting excitedly because they could smell breakfast all the way from the bathroom. They got out, dried off, and put the spare shirts on and ran out.

Kurapika had just put the final pancake on a plate before turning to the boys, placing a plate with 3 pancakes on each to them.

"Thanks for the food!" both boys chorused and began eating.

Kurapika sat across from them, smiling sadly, remembering at one time, he and Leorio were like that.

...

_"Are you sure it's okay for me to live with you and your mom? I don't wanna be a burden," Kurapika said shyly. Leorio waved it off. "Don't worry about it. I already talked to my mom and told her about your situation. She said she'll treat you like another son," he grinned. "W-well, alright," Kurapika gave a small smile. Leorio tugged his wrist and they stalked off to Leorio's house._

_"Leorio! You're home! And this is the Kurapika boy you told me about, am I right?" a kind woman asked. "Yep, that's right!" Leorio nodded. The woman held her hand out. "Hello, Kurapika. I'm Freya," she said. Kurapika gave a small bow before accepting her hand. "It's nice to meet you," he said nervously. She gave a hearty laugh. "There's no need to be so formal, please, make yourself at home," she said. Kurapika nodded and she left, going to the kitchen to prepare lunch._

_"See, I told you she'd be nice!" Leorio smirked._

_"Oh, hush. I didn't doubt you," Kurapika defended. Leorio laughed. After a moment, Kurapika joined in._

_"Boys! Lunch is ready!" Freya called after several minutes._

_The boys rushed to the table as she set a plate down infront of them. "Thanks for the food!" they cheered, Kurapika abit more shyly, but they both ate heartily. Freya just smiled._

_..._

"-Pika. Kurapika!" a voice brought him out of his thoughts. "Ah! Y-yes?" Kurapika asked. Both boys looked at him in concern. "Are you okay?" Gon asked, but Kurapika had the feeling Gon knew he was thinking of Leorio. "Yeah, you're eyes are wet," Killua added. Kurapika shook his head. "Don't worry. I'll go get your laundry out of the dryer and bring them back, after your done, we can leave. That sound good?"

"Yep!"

"Yeah."

"Great, I'll be back," and with that, Kurapika left.

"He isn't okay, isn't he?" Killua asked. Gon shook his head. "He had a nightmare last night, and I think he's still thinking about Leorio," Gon answered. Killua frowned. "We'll do everything we can to fix this. We caused this, so we need to do what we can to make it up to them!" Killua said with determination. "But it's like what you said! How are we gonna help them? We don't know where Leorio is!" Gon said in distress. Killua frowned and put a hand to his chin in thought. "Well, we can look through Kurapika's phone, see if he still has Leorio in his contacts," he suggested. "Leorio won't answer, he's too mad at Kurapika," Gon pointed out.

"Ugh. This is a big mess. Being in a relationship sounds like hell."

"Yeah..." Gon looked down.

Both boys sat in thought, until steam started coming out of Gon's ears. Killua sweatdropped. "Don't think too hard," he warned. Gon didn't seem to hear him. His face was scrunched as he thought harder. More steam came from his ears.

Killua reached over and flicked his forehead. Gon's head snapped back, a red mark forming on his forehead. "Ow! What was that for?!" he cried. Killua gave him his catty grin.

"I'm back."

He tossed the clothes to them. They caught them, and left the room to change.

After they came out, clothes and shoes on, Kurapika stood up. "Well, you guys ready?" he asked. They nodded.

 

...

Town was busy, as always. Gon seemed fascinated by everything, stopping at every stand to admire what they had. His brown eyes shined in innocent curiosity.

"Hey Gon! Come on!" Killua called. Gon looked over, surprised to find Kurapika and Killua afew meters away. "Ah! Coming!" he ran after them, standing on the other side of Kurapika. People waved and called out greetings to Kurapika. One old woman offered him free fruit, which he politely declined, insisting she should keep them for her shop so she can earn more money.

"You sure are popular," Killua observed. "I suppose so," Kurapika replied while waving at a couple kids who ran by. "Why? Are you a hero or something?" Gon asked.

"Well-"

"THIEF! THIEF! SOMEONE STOP HIM!" someone screamed.

The trio stopped and whirled around, finding a man in a mask and running, a gold moai clutched in his hands.

Before Gon or Killua could react, Kurapika was already running after him. The two 12 year olds watched in awe as Kurapika quickly and easily caught up with him. He grabbed his shirt and yanked him back, spinning him around and giving him a harsh roundkick, making him fall. "Give it back!" Kurapika ordered, his voice surprisingly intimidating. When the man didn't move, Kurapika kicked his face. "I  _said_ give it back!" he thundered. The man yelped and ran back to the store, Kurapika right at his heels.

Killua and Gon watched as the man gave the moai back, bowing and spewing out apologies.

"Now swear you won't ever do it again." Kurapika ordered. The man sputtered but didn't say anything. "I said swear you'll never do it again!" Kurapika snapped.

"Y-you...you're not the boss of me, you stupid pretty boy!"

Kurapika gave him a dangerous smile. "Do you know who I am?" he asked calmly. The man faltered but didn't answer. "I am Kurapika, Head of Bodyguards of the Nostrade Home."

"WH-WHAT?! But...you can't be a bodyguard for the Nostrades! It's impossible! Y-you have to be superior in strengths and smarts and have fast reflexes, and to be  _Head_ of the Bodyguards..." he stammered. Kurapika whipped his knife out and held it against his throat, his other hand on the guy's shoulder so he couldn't get away. "Swear it and mean it. I'll give you three seconds. One, two-"

"Okay! Okay! I get it! I'll stop!" the man shouted, "now please put the knife away!"

Kurapika let go of him and flicked it back in his pocket. "Go."

The man nodded and ran off.

The people who witnessed everything began applauding. Kurapika ignored it, walking back to the kids. Killua and Gon stared at him in admiration and awe. "You're the Head of Bodyguards at the Nostrades?! Why didn't you tell us?" Killua asked. Kurapika gave a bashful smile. "You never asked," he replied.

After that, they went to a nearby clothing store to get the boys a new set of clothes. As they looked around, they found plenty of shirts and shorts. Gon got the same outfit, green long sleeved shirt and matching shorts, along with a couple other tank tops and button ups, and long brown boots. Killua got various different outfits, from red or black tanks, a pink shirt, another black one, so on and so forth.

"So, how did you become the Head of Bodyguards?" Killua asked Kurapika while they all waited in line to pay. "Our old boss died," Kurapika said quietly. "Dalzollene, he was a wonderful boss. He had things under control, and was strong. But one day, when the mansion was attacked, he got killed. Afterwards, the other guards voted me to be the next boss, beings I was the smartest, fastest, and strongest."

"And modest," Killua added sarcastically, earning a small, amused smile from said blonde.

"Light Nostrade agreed for me to be the new Head. Neon, his daughter, wasn't too happy when she found out. Dalzollene was friendly to her and talked to her allot."

"While you remain silent and cold?"

"I'm there to guard her, not socialize with her," Kurapika said calmly. "How much do you get paid?" Gon asked. Kurapika bit his lip in thought. "2000 yen per month."

Both kids stared at him in shock.

"Next."

The trio stepped to the counter, Kurapika setting the clothes down. The man scanned them and put them in a bag. "500 yen."

Kurapika fished out the money and gave it to him. The man handed him the bags. "Have a great day."

Kurapika and Killua nodded and walked out while Gon smiled brightly. "You too!" he ran to catch up to his friends.

They walked around, until Killua froze, his blue eyes widening. Gon turned in confusion. "Huh? Killua? Is something wrong?" he called. Kurapika turned too, seeing Killua staring at something longingly. They walked over to him. "What is it?" Gon asked. Killua pointed at the window to a shop. Gon and Kurapika followed his finger and saw it was...a sweet shop. Full of candies, chocolates, cakes, pies, name it.

Gon giggled and Kurapika straightened. "We can get some candy after we have lunch," he compromised. Killua beamed. "Deal!" he said excitedly.

They walked to a restaurant, getting some food and eating, talking and just all in all, enjoying themselves. It reminded Kurapika of his first date with Leorio.

...

_"I don't want you to spend money on me, Leorio. You've already given me so much!" Kurapika protested as Leorio led him inside a restaurant. "Nonsense! It's fine!" Leorio waved it off. "Did you really just use the word nonsense?" Kurapika asked, cocking an eyebrow. "So what if I did?" Leorio huffed. Kurapika laughed at this, making Leorio blush and smile. His new boyfriend needed to laugh more often. Even if it meant using old words. They sat across from eachother, chatting happily. Leorio told him about how he wanted to become a doctor, and Kurapika mentioned becoming a fighter of some sort._

_"I don't know," was Kurapika's response when Leorio asked him what type of fighter he meant. "Maybe a wrestler, or a bodyguard."_

_"Heh, that's so cool," Leorio chuckled. Kurapika beamed at his supportive boyfriend. "So is becoming a doctor, Leorio."_

_..._

"Kurapika? You have that look in your eyes again," Gon said. Kurapika blinked and shook the memory out of his head so he could focus on the here and now.

"Sorry, I was just thinking."

The boys didn't comment.

"So, are you both done?" Kurapika glanced at their plates. Both were practically licked clean. "Yep!" they both chorused. Kurapika stood, putting money and a tip on the table before leaving with them.

Killua ran straight to the sweet shop, with Gon close behind and Kurapika walking after them.

Stepping inside the sweet shop was like heaven to Killua. The smell of various sweets, from chocolates to pies, and anything between, practically made him melt.

He walked around the store, unable to decide. He figured Kurapika would only allow him to get one thing, just like his old family did. Spoil everyone but him rotten. He remembered all the times when he didn't meet their expectations they'd chain him up and beat him. Until he couldn't handle it anymore. The scars littering his body were painful reminders of his past, he didn't like it. Sweets always comforted him. His brother, Milluki, always taunted him about acting like a girl, which usually leads to either Kalluto or Alluka to hit him. (Both are boys, but they act very feminine and wear dresses, though Alluka acts more like a girl, Killua always called Alluka his sister.)

Alluka...Killua frowned. He missed her. She was the only one who truly cared for him. He would play with her the most, before their mom and dad would separate them, scolding them for no real reason. And he left her behind. He just couldn't forgive himself for that. Alluka was sweet, and not a fighter like everyone else. She couldn't handle any abuse like Killua did. He prayed that she was safe, and vowed silently he'd save her from there...

"Killua?"

Killua jumped, seeing Gon's worried brown eyes. "Are you okay? You've been standing here with a sad expression for 10 minutes now!"

...And then there was Gon. He dragged his best friend into this. Gon lived a fine life with his Aunt Mito, they loved eachother and everything. On the night he ran away, he went straight to his place, and Mito took him in for a week, before Killua decided to sneak off and leave town. Gon had caught him before he left, and tried persuading him to stay. When Killua kept declining, Gon decided to go with him. Killua still remembers what Gon had said when he asked him why he's coming with him.

_"Killua, you're my best friend, I don't want you to suffer alone, I told you I'll always be here for you, didn't I? I don't want to back out on that promise! Besides, Mito will be okay, as long as we send her letters!"_

A small smile crept up on Killua's face at the memory. Yes, he had Gon, he wasn't alone. He was fine with Gon, and together they'll both save Alluka. Maybe Kurapika could help too...

"Killua!"

"Ha..? Oh! Sorry! Just thinking...which should I get?"

Gon eyed the candies, frowning. After a mere fifteen seconds, steam came from his ears, making Killua sweatdrop. "Ahh, nevermind, I'll ask Kurapika..."

As if on cue, Kurapika walked over. "Is there a problem?" he asked. "I can't decide on what to get," Killua said as if it was the biggest problem in the world. Kurapika's mouth quirked upwards. "You can get up to 5 things, is that alright?"

"YES! THANK YOU SO MUCH, KURAPIKA!! YOU'RE THE BEST!!" Killua cried, grabbing 5 different snacks...three different chocolates and two lollipops. Gon settled for  some cookies.

After Kurapika paid, Killua instantly popped a lollipop in his mouth, smiling brightly.


	3. Into the Past

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We look into everyone's past!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if this chapter isn't as long as the others...I'm kinda making fillers for upcoming moments, which I will not reveal for it is not yet time. Besides, you guys are wondering about their past, yeah?  
> So enough of my blabber.  
> Enjoy!

 

Leorio scribbled down notes for his patient Tonpa. "Is there any other problems you have?" Leorio asked. Tonpa shook his head. "No, just a big stomach ache, I feel sick!" he groaned. "Have you had any bad food?" Leorio asked. "Well...maybe some old meat," Tonpa said.

 _'This damn idiot.'_ Leorio resisted the urge to roll his eyes and facepalm. He could practically see Kurapika's facial expression now. One of his  _wow-you've-gotta-be-kidding-me_ looks.

_Kurapika..._

The whole situation reminded him of his beloved ex-boyfriend. He missed how his blonde hair seemed to shine in the sun, his gray eyes glittering when he laughed, or when he bites his lip when he's absorbed in a book. He missed him so much...

 _'No, I shouldn't care about him! He chose two smelly brats over me! Why should I care?!'_ Leorio clenched his pen tightly.

"Yo, uh, Doctor P? What do I do about my problem? Is it life or death for me?

Leorio snapped out of it and looked up at Tonpa. "It's not bad," Leorio said and put his clipboard down, looking at him evenly. "It sounds like you have a simple stomach ache to me. So, what you'll do is just take some ginger ale, or just have some ginger with your meals."

"Okay, later."

"Don't have anymore old food!" Leorio called after him.

After Tonpa left, Leorio sank down, sighing. He glanced at his watch, realizing he still had two more hours until his next appointment. He sighed and remembered when he first met Kurapika...

...

_Leorio was outside playing with his friend, Pietro. "Tag! You're it!" Pietro laughed as he managed to tag Leorio. The two young teens continued to run around, despite the heat. Once Leorio had to stop to breathe, Pietro stopped too, panting. "Good...game..." Leorio panted. "Yeah...you...too..." Pietro said. They walked off in search of a water pipe. They took turns drinking before stopping, wiping the water that dribbled down their chins off with their wrists._

_"Hey, Leorio! Look!"_

_"Huh?"_

_Leorio looked at where Pietro was pointing. They saw a blonde boy sitting alone in an alley corner, arms hugging his legs. The boys rushed to the blonde._

_"Hey! Are you okay?" Pietro asked him. The blonde boy looked up at them, gray eyes blinking. "Huh? Yeah, I'm fine now," he said. Pietro sighed in relief but Leorio frowned. "'Now'? What do you mean?" he asked. The blonde looked irritated. "Exactly what I said. I'm fine now."_

_"Well then what about earlier?"_

_"I wasn't fine earlier."_

_"Wanna talk about it?" Pietro asked._

_"No."_

_"Why not?" Leorio asked._

_"Because you'll say the same thing as them!" the blonde burst out, startling Leorio and Pietro. "What do you mean? Who's 'them'?" Leorio asked. "Yeah, and we're not like anyone else," Pietro added. The blonde boy stared at them before he started to cry._

_"I didn't mean to do it! It just happened!" he sobbed. Pietro and Leorio sat on either side of him while he cried. "I'm not a demon or a devil or a monster! It just happened!" he went on. "Why would anyone call you a demon, devil, or monster?" Pietro questioned._

_"B-be...b-because..." the boy hiccuped. "My eyes...they...they turn red when I'm angry! S-someone was hurting my best friend and I got angry, s-so they turned red..." he sniffled. When the other two boys got quiet, the blonde cried harder._

_"You're eyes turn red when you get mad..? That's so cool!" Pietro cried._

_"Huh..?"_

_"Yeah!" Leorio nodded happily. "That's amazing! How do you do it?!"_

_"I think he's just super talented!"_

_"Yeah!"_

_The blonde boy sat in shock as he watched the other two chat animatedly. "You...like my eyes?" he asked hesitantly. They both nodded._

_"Yeah! Hey, you wanna play with us?" Leorio asked. The blonde let his lips lift upwards. "Sure," he said._

_"My name is Pietro!"_

_"And I'm Leorio! And you are..?"_

_"I'm called Kurapika."_

_"Well, Kurapika! It's nice to meet you! Come on, we were just playing tag!" Leorio reached over and tagged Kurapika. "So, you're it!" they ran off. Kurapika blinked then pouted. "Hey! Cheaters!" he ran after them._

_"We didn't cheat! You're just slow!" Leorio teased._

_"I'm not slow!" Kurapika protested. Both Leorio and Pietro laughed._

_Pretty soon, Kurapika joined in too._

_..._

Leorio sighed.  _'That was 7 years ago, it all seemed so much simpler,'_ he thought sadly. He rubbed the bridge of his nose. And then Pietro just had to die.

...

_"But, doctor! If it's curable, then save him!" Leorio begged. The doctor shook his head. "If you don't have the money for it, then we won't treat him," he said. Leorio teared up and watched as his friend grew paler and paler. "Pietro, don't die! Please don't die!" Leorio begged with tears in his eyes. Pietro's eyes fluttered open ever so slightly. "It...it's fine...Le...Leorio..." he rasped out. "Just...look over...Ku...ra...pi...ka..." he coughed out blood. "He's still young...and alone...please...stay...with him..."_

_"I will, Pietro. I promise!"_

_"I'll...miss...you..." Pietro's eyes closed forever._

_Leorio sobbed and wiped at his tears. "Pietro," he wailed._

_When he finally left, he sat outside on a curb, face buried in his arms. He heard someone running over and a smaller hand tapping his shoulder. "Hey, Leorio? What's wrong?" 12 year old Kurapika asked. Leorio looked at him, shaking. "Pietro...he...he's dead now!" he burst out. Kurapika's eyes widened then lowered. "Oh...I'm so sorry," he said and gave the older boy a hug. Leorio sniffed and after a moment, he hugged back. "It'll be okay...my mom always told me that when someone you love passes away, they watch over you and protect you, and as long as you're happy, they won't suffer," Kurapika said._

_"You're mom sounds wise," Leorio mumbled._

_Kurapika giggled. "Yeah. But we're talking about you right now. It'll be okay, just give it time, and you'll heal."_

_..._

Leorio felt like crying again. He wished so many things, wondering how he'd be in life if he never met Kurapika, if Pietro never died, if he and Kurapika never dated, if they never found those kids. Would life be better for him?

Well, whatever. It's time for his next appointment.

~

Gon ate his box of cookies while watching tv with Kurapika and Killua. Killua was sucking on a bunny lollipop, grinning at the tv. It was some cartoon he enjoyed. Kurapika was reading, sitting in the middle, occasionally looking up whenever Killua would laugh. Gon was too busy remembering the day he and Killua met, and when Killua showed up at his front door, asking to stay for awhile, since he ran away.

...

_"Mito! Mito!" Gon chanted, running to the kitchen. She turned to him. "What is it, Gon?" she asked with her friendly smile. "Can we go to the park today? Pretty please?" he jumped. "Is your room clean?" Mito asked. "Yeah! I cleaned it this morning!" Gon replied. Mito sighed and smiled. "Alright. Let me get some water and snacks first," she walked to the kitchen. "Yaaaaay!" Little Gon cheered and waited eagerly by the front door._

_Mito finally came back, a basket of fruits, sandwiches, and water bottles in hand. They left, with Gon jumping ahead happily and waiting for Mito whenever he got too far._

_By the time they reached the park, Gon was practically jumping everywhere. Mito sat on a bench, watching Gon climb up the steps to the slide. He slid down the slide, letting out a joyful "whee!" as he did so._

_As he rounded the corner, he found a boy around his age with piercing blue eyes and a big mess of white hair, playing alone in the sandbox. Gon frowned. Why would anyone be alone?_

_He ran to the boy and smiled brightly. "Hi! My name is Gon!" he chirped. When the white haired boy didn't say anything, his smile faltered slightly. "And, your name is..?" he urged._

_"...Killua."_

_"Ah!" Gon's smile widened again. "Nice to meet you, Killua! Wanna play with me?"_

_"...What do you wanna play?"_

_"Hmm...how about we swing on the swings and talk?"_

_"...Alright. I guess," Killua got up and followed the ravenette to the swings. Coincidentally, there were two left, so they both sat down on one. Gon immediately started swinging, his brown eyes shining brightly. Killua kicked his legs slightly but didn't go all out like Gon. "So, how old are you?" Killua asked. "Hm? I'm 8 years old!" he beamed. "Huh...me too," Killua said. "Awesome! Hm...what's your favorite color?"_

_"Blue. Yours?"_

_"Green!"_

_They went back and forth, getting to know eachother more and more until they got to more personal topic_

_"I live with my Aunt Mito. I don't know my mom and I never met my dad, so I guess you can say I think of her as my mom!" Gon explained. "Oh, cool," Killua said. "And what about you? What's your family like?" Gon asked._

_"Well...my family is really, really rich. They expect me to be perfect like my older brother, Illumi. But sometimes I just can't do it. I can't be like him, and when I can't do it...they beat me. Really bad." Killua moved his sleeves, revealing some large hand bruises. Gon's eyes widened and slowed the swing to a stop. "Oh, Killua..." he jumped off and gave the other boy a hug._

_"H-hey! C-cut it out! It's embarrassing!" Killua shouted._

_"Hehe, nope! You're my best friend now, so we'll always stick together!_

_..._

_It was past midnight when Gon heard someone knocking frantically at the door. He yawned hugely and walked downstairs, opening the door. Killua stood there, breathing heavily. "K-Killua? What happened? What's wrong?!" Gon asked. Killua looked up, blood smeared all over his face and his body was slagging. "G-Gon...c-can I...stay here? J-just for awhile," he asked. "Yeah! Of course!" Gon answered with no hesitation, pulling him inside._

_"You're welcome to stay here for as long as you need!"_

_..._

Gon was pulled out of his memories when he heard Killua crack up and Kurapika chuckle. He looked up, seeing the two competitors on the tv show who were stuck in the car with a million dollars in the back drive off, ignoring the police yelling to stop and promising to take the keys from the ignition next time. Gon joined in on the laughter.

~

After Kurapika had once again tucked the boys in, Gon was asleep, but Killua laid there, staring at the ceiling. He looked at Gon, then at the door leading to the living room. He couldn't help but remember when he left Gon's place, with Gon insisting on following them.

...

_Killua put the last of his clothes in his backpack. After making sure Gon was asleep, he went downstairs and opened the door. He looked back at the house he'd been at for the past week. He closed the door behind him. After walking afew meters away, he heard Gon call his name. He turned and saw Gon running over, his own little bag swung over his shoulders._

_"Gon? What are you doing?" Killua asked in surprise. "I could ask the same of you! You know you can stay with us, right Killua?"_

_"Yeah, I know, but I can't."_

_"Why not?"_

_"I'm burdening you and Mito..." the 11 year old looked down. "No you're not, you dummy! You're my best friend, and Mito likes you too!" Gon declared. "Yeah, but...I just think I should go..."_

_"Then I'm coming with you!" Gon showed his bag. "I had a feeling this would happen, so I packed my stuff when you were showering!"_

_"Gon...you can't come with me," Killua said sadly. "And why not?" Gon challenged. "Because you just can't! I don't want to make you leave your home just for me!" Killua cried._

_"Killua, you're my best friend, I don't want you to suffer alone, I told you I'll always be here for you, didn't I? I don't want to back out on that promise! Besides, Mito will be okay, as long as we send her letters!"_

_"Gon..." Killua's eyes wavered. Gon grinned and looped an arm around Killua's. "Let's go!" he said._

_"Y-yeah..."_

_..._

Killua couldn't believe that was just the very beginning of this year. It has been 8 months since that day. Afew more months, and they'd have been on the road alone for an entire year. He glanced at Gon and smiled. He was so grateful he wasn't alone. He closed his eyes, and fell asleep.

...

_"YOU WORTHLESS CHILD!" his mother screamed at him, whipping him with an actual whip. The kind they'd used back in the times of slavery. Killua tried not to wince at each impact, managing to remain still. "WHY CAN'T YOU BE LIKE ILLUMI?!" she continued to rant but stopped whipping him._

_The half-naked child looked up, blue eyes dead. "Because I'm not him. I'm me, there's nothing wrong with being my own person," he said coolly._

_"DON'T TALK BACK TO ME, YOU LITTLE SHIT!" she yelled._

_Milluki, Killua's other brother, walked in. "Hey mom, why don't you let me take it over from here?" he asked. Their mom scoffed but handed him the whip._

_"You know what to do if he talks back," she said. He nodded and watched her leave before walking to Killua. "You hungry, bro?" he mocked. Killua looked at him. Milluki slapped him. "I asked you a question!" he roared. Killua rolled his eyes. Out of his whole family, Milluki was the most annoying. "No, I'm not hungry. You're eating enough for the both of us and then some," Killua retorted. Milluki growled and started to whip Killua repeatedly._

_"If you don't stop sassing me, I'll do the same to your friend, Gon!"_

_Killua tensed and looked at him, his face deadly. "If you touch Gon, I swear, I will kill you," he hissed. Milluki growled, but left._

_..._

Killua gasped as he woke up, jolting upright. He panted and looked at the time. 1:32am.

Great.

He slid carefully out of bed, padding out the door to see if Kurapika was awake.

Kurapika was sitting up, book propped open on his lap, his head was lowered...but he was asleep. Killua self-consciously walked over and crawled on the couch next to Kurapika, leaning on his arm and falling asleep again.

Kurapika blinked open, feeling the couch move and something, or someone, on his arm. He looked down and saw it was Killua. He smiled slightly and carefully reached over, grabbing a blanket and putting it on their laps, closing his book and setting it aside, before allowing himself to fall asleep as well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can anyone guess what show I'm referring to? It's really old. ^-^


	4. Jobs and Frustration

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kurapika talks with Melody and the other bodyguards and deals with Neon.  
> Gon and Killua are still thinking of ways to get Kurapika and Leorio together.  
> Leorio is almost mugged.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Neon likes Kurapika.

 

"I have to go to work now," Kurapika said as he set the two kids breakfast down. "Oh yeah! You're a bodyguard for the Nostrade family, right?" Gon asked. "Yes, that's right," Kurapika nodded. "What time will you be back?" Killua asked as he shoved a mouthful of pancakes in his mouth, grimacing and reaching for the syrup. Kurapika eyed him warily, making sure Killua didn't flood his plate with syrup. "Around 8 or 9, usually," Kurapika responded. Gon snatched the syrup from Killua and poured a little on his own.

"Will you two be alright while I'm gone..?"

"Of course we will!" Gon said brightly.

"Don't worry about a thing!" Killua added.

"...This is why I'm afraid." Kurapika teased. Gon pouted. "Well, you can trust me, I'll babysit Killua," he said. "Hey!" Killua protested. "I'm older than you!" Gon pointed out. "Only by afew months!" Killua argued.

Kurapika sweatdropped. "So, I'll see you both later," he walked out the door, closing it behind him.

"Bye Kurapika!" they both called.

It was silent while the boys ate their breakfast. When they finished, Gon was the one who cleaned up. Killua sat on the couch, eating one of his chocolate bars. Gon walked over to him, a look of concentration on his face. "Killua, I have an idea," he said.

"Eh? What is it?"

"Umm...it's a secret!"

"Hey!" Killua grabbed Gon in a neck hold. "Don't be so coy! Spit it out!" he shouted.

"You're choking me..! I can't breathe..! I'm gonna die!"

Killua let go of him, pouting. "What's your idea, Gon?" he asked. Gon sat down with a grin on his face.

"So, what if we asked around town, see if anyone knows Leorio?"

"...That could work."

"Yeah!" Gon grabbed his green jacket and green boots. Killua fixed his dark red tank top and shorts.

"Alright, let's go!"

~

Kurapika opened the gates to the Nostrade home, walking in with his usual blank face. After knocking briefly at the door, he went in.

The Nostrade's were very rich, Light was often out on business and believes Neon was the most precious thing in the world. Unfortunately, this means he spoiled her rotten. If she doesn't get what she wants when she wants it, she'll throw a massive temper tantrum, throwing things around until she falls asleep.

_Honestly._

Most of the time, Kurapika wonders if she really is only 2 years younger than him.

Another unfortunate thing, was she has a crush on him. A big one. How does Kurapika know, you may ask? It's because she called his name in her sleep while he stood outside her room. It'd been his turn to guard there. He remembered it so clearly. She'd whined, called, giggled, and even moaned his name, several times. So many times, Kurapika got a little worried.

After work, he'd talked to Melody, asking her what he should do, which her response had been a simple "don't mention it to her".

So he didn't.

But that didn't stop him from getting creeped out whenever she'd call him over. He could defend himself perfectly fine, especially because she had no combat experience. But that wasn't the main problem. The main problem was if she did make an advance on him, he couldn't stop her, unless he wants to get fired. He liked his job, it kept him active in many ways, and he made friends with the other bodyguards, though he's closer to Melody.

She kinda reminds him of his mother.

"Oh, Kurapika," Melody's soft voice spoke, "you seem like you're in a good mood. You're heartbeat is pretty calm."

"It is?" Kurapika put a hand on his chest. "Yes, did something good happen?" she asked. Basho and Baise glanced over at the usually stoic blonde in surprise. Kurapika looked away to hide a small smile. "Yes. Something did happen, actually," he said. "Something with Leorio?" Basho asked. When Kurapika flinched slightly, Baise hit his arm. "Don't just go guessing," she scolded. Basho rubbed his arm.

"Well...no. Not with Leorio. A couple days ago, I found some kids."

"Kids?"

"Yes, two 12 year old boys. I took them in. They're so sweet, and I can tell they've been through allot."

 _'You took them in because they remind you of yourself. You had nowhere to go, and didn't want anyone to go through the same thing. So you took them in. You want to take care of them so they can have a better future.'_ Melody thought, eyeing Kurapika sadly.  _'But still. To be so young, even if Leorio is with you, and raising kids...it must be hard.'_

"Well that's nice! Do you think we can meet them one day?" Basho asked. Kurapika pursed his lips slightly. "Maybe one day," he replied.

"Kurapikaaaaa!" Neon's voice called. "I need youuuuu!"

Kurapika sighed while the other three shot him a sympathetic  _'good luck'_ look.

~

"Killua! Let's go ask that lady over there if she knows Leorio!" Gon tugged his friend's arm. Killua followed him as they ran to an old lady, who was sweeping around her shop. "Excuse me, mam?" Gon stopped infront of her. The lady looked at him and smiled. "Hello there. Do you need something?" she asked. "Yeah! We're looking for a man named Leorio! Do you know him?" Gon asked. "We really need to know! It's important!" Killua added.

The woman looked perplexed. "Leorio..?" she repeated. The boys nodded. The lady thought for awhile. "Hm...well...I think I know who you're talking about," she said slowly. "Really? You do?!" Gon asked, both boys smiling widely.

"...Wait, no, that's Leon..." she mumbled, making the boys sink down. She put the broom aside and waved them over. "Why don't you come inside for some tea while I think about this?"

The raven haired boy and white haired boy shared a look, but followed her.

~

"Pleeeeeease Kurapika?" Neon begged. "I'm sorry, it's not my job to play tea party with you and your stuffed animals," Kurapika said calmly. She huffed. "But it's an important meeting! And don't call Bubbles a stuffed animal! Say you're sorry to her!" she held out her blue teddy bear.

Feeling completely ridiculous and frustrated, he (unwillingly) apologized. "I'm sorry, Bubbles."

Neon held Bubbles to her ear and nodded then looked at him. "Bubbles says she'll forgive you if you give her a kiss!"

_'Patience, Kurapika, patience. Patience. Just do it.'_

Kurapika held back a sigh and gave Bubbles a kiss on it's fluffy forehead.

"No! No, no, no, NO! It HAS to be on her lips!" Neon shouted stubbornly.

_'ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?!'_

"Miss Neon, this isn't appropriate," he said instead. "I'll throw a tantrum if you don't do it!" Neon threatened.

_'She can NOT be 16.'_

Neon took a deep breath, puffing her cheeks. Kurapika inwardly panicked. He could NOT lose this job.

"Okay, okay!" he took Bubbles from her hands. She watched in satisfaction as he swallowed the last of his dignity and pride and kissed the bear on its little lips.

He handed it back to her, watching her hug it close to her chest.

"Is there anything else?" Kurapika asked stiffly. "If not, I'd like to get back to my duties."

Neon pouted, obviously thinking quickly. "Um, how's you and Leorio?" she asked. Kurapika was careful not to show any emotion. "We broke up," he replied, regretting being honest instantly. Her eyes had lit up, and she was doing a terrible job at hiding her smile. "Oh, I see, have you moved on? Maybe you should try dating someone else?" she leaned closer.

"I think I'm fine right now. I have to watch over some kids, which is basically my second job," he said. "Aww! I can help you take care of them!" she cooed.

 _'YEAH RIGHT! You can't even make your own bed! You can't cook or clean, you can't get yourself dressed, you can't tie your own shoes, you can't do anything by yourself! And when you do have to, you throw a big temper tantrum! It'd be those two watching over YOU, not the other way around!!'_ Kurapika screamed in his head, but didn't say it all aloud of course.

"That's not necessary. I have it all under control," he assured her and without her consent, he walked out.

She started whining for him to come back, but he ignored it, his eye twitching. When he got back downstairs, he motioned Baise to go up and talk to her. Baise sighed and walked upstairs to Neon's room.

"What happened? Your heart is pounding, you're very annoyed," Melody said softly. Kurapika sighed and explained what happened. Basho and Melody grimaced.

"Must suck to have her crush on you," Basho commented. Kurapika only nodded and ran his hand through his hair, glancing at the time.

8:20.

He'd been there for only 20 minutes and he's already frustrated.

It was going to be a long day.

~

"So, do you know him? Leorio?" Gon asked as the woman poured the steaming tea. "I might," was her reply. "Hey, granny, we really need to know, it's really important," Killua said.

"I know, you've said that a hundred times the past few minutes."

Killua huffed while she sat across from them. They waited patiently for her to think. "Leorio...all I can think of is the local doctor," she said.

"That's him!" Gon jumped up, slamming his hands on the table infront of him excitedly. "But the problem is..." the woman continued. The boys waited.

"I don't know where he is."

"WHAT?!"

~

After the sun had set, Leorio finished his final patient, and left. He glanced at his watch as he walked to a hotel far away from the apartment he and Kurapika had once shared. He pushed the thoughts of his ex-boyfriend away and opted to think about a surgery that needed to be done on a patient named Pokkle in two weeks. He had to study more on it, he's never performed surgery before, and needless to say, he was nervous.

As he crossed an alley for a shortcut, he heard chuckles. He paused.

"Look what we have here, guys. A stupid man wandering around in a dark alley," a man laughed as he and two others walked out from the shadows. Leorio kept his cool, eyeing them. "Whatcha got in the briefcase, old man?" one asked. Leorio twitched. He  _hated_ being called old.

"Some documents." Was his curt reply.

"Sure," the man drawled, "sounds boring."

"We should see if he's lying," the third man said. At that, all three started to advance on him. Thinking quickly, he remembered when Kurapika had taught him self-defense.

He waited for them to get closer before swinging it. He knocked all three of them down, and kicked the one in the middle in the gut, then ran.

They groaned and got up, but Leorio was long gone by then.

 _'Kurapika...'_ a soft sigh came from Leorio's lips.

He missed him so much.


	5. Accidents Happen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gon and Killua can't cook.  
> Kurapika is really kind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really enjoy writing these :,)

 

After an unsuccessful day of trying to find someone who knows Leorio, the pre-teens returned to the apartment, using the spare key Kurapika had given them. They flopped down on the couch dejectedly. "Well, today was a failure," Killua said bitterly. "We still got time," Gon tried to be optimistic. Killua sighed and sank down. "Yeah, well, I don't like seeing Kurapika sulking around when he thinks we're not looking," Killua retorted. "I don't like it either, but we don't need to rush," Gon reasoned. Killua sighed in defeat but didn't reply. They glanced at the time, seeing it was well past 7.

"Kurapika will be home in an hour or two," Gon said.

"We should make him dinner."

"Do you even know how to cook?"

"Well, he has a cook book. It can't be that hard."

"True."

And so, the boys decided to make Kurapika some dinner, consisting of steak, rice, vegetables, and fruits.

Unfortunately, however, the only mess they didn't make was of the fruit.

Killua carried the apples to the counter and grabbed a knife to cut them up, while Gon tried to put the still-frozen meat on the stove. He frowned and turned it up all the way, fully pouting when it didn't thaw immediately. "Killua! What do I do here?" he called. "Try to figure it out yourself!" Killua replied, frowning. How did Kurapika cut the apples? This was harder than he thought. But at least he couldn't make a big mess.

Gon grabbed some pepper to put on the meat, which was now gradually thawing out. "Killua, how much pepper do I add?" he asked.

"Uhh, I don't know. How much does Kurapika put in?"

"Um..."

Both boys slumped. Gon bit his lip and poured half the container on the meat and looked away, covering his face to sneeze.

"Idiot! You don't need that much!" Killua shouted.

"But you didn't even know how much to put in!" Gon insisted.

"Well I know you don't put that much in!"

"You should've told me!"

"I thought it was common sense! But I forgot, it's you we're talking about!"

"Hey! Don't be mean!" Gon looked down. He didn't like the implications he was stupid. It was hurtful. He knew he wasn't the brightest crayon in the box, but still. Seeing this, Killua felt guilty. "Gon, I'm sorry," he mumbled. He didn't like seeing his best friend-his  _only_ friend, get hurt like this.

It was quiet for a moment, before Gon walked over and gave him a hug.

Killua instantly hugged back, his heart fluttering.

Gon pulled away after a moment, smiling. "I forgive you, Killua," he said and sat down. "Why don't you handle the cooking? I'll finish the fruits," he offered. Killua nodded and they switched jobs.

Turns out, Killua wasn't good at the cooking either, even with the book.

He put too much oil in the pan and when he added the vegetables, it splashed on the counter and himself.

"Owwww! It burns!" Killua yelled, wincing at the red marks on his hands and arms.

"Killua!" Gon ran over, grabbing a rag and getting it wet with cold water. He dabbed at the burns on Killua, brown eyes wide. "Be more careful!" Gon reached over and lightly pushed him out of the way. "I'll try the vegetables!"

"What about the meat?! It's burning!"

"SHIT!"

The boys scattered around desperately, spilling sauces and other seasonings, even dropping some of the food from the pans.

Pretty soon, the entire kitchen was a giant mess, as were the boys themselves. They stared at eachother in shock.

"Kurapika makes it look so easy," Gon groaned.

"Makes what look easy?"

Both boys jumped and looked at the threshold where Kurapika stood, eyebrows raised. He eyed the kitchen, seeming exasperated. "Cooking..." Gon answered in a small voice. "S-sorry about the mess..." Killua stuttered. "W-we were j-just trying to cook dinner for you, since you're working so hard..." Gon added.

Seeing the devastated and guilty looks in their eyes, Kurapika didn't have the heart to scold them. He sighed, running a hand through his blonde hair. "We're sorry!" Gon said, his brown eyes tearing up, thinking Kurapika was angry. He hated it when people were mad at him. Kurapika blinked, then smiled softly. "The gesture was sweet, I'm touched you two are trying," he said, kneeling down so he's their height. "Why don't you two go get cleaned up, while I clean up here?"

"No." It was Killua who responded.

Kurapika looked at him in surprise.

"You look tired. YOU go wash up. This is our mess, so we'll clean it up! Right, Gon?"

"Yeah!"

Both boys were looking at the blonde with determination. Kurapika sighed and decided to humor them. "Alright," he said lightly. "But after we finish, you two go wash up, and I'll cook dinner. Is that agreeable?"

"Yeah!" they both answered in unison. Just as Kurapika got up and turned, Gon spoke. "Hey, Kurapika?"

"Yes?"

"Um, will you teach us how to cook?"

Kurapika blinked, before smiling again. "Yeah, I'll teach you how to cook," he agreed, "we can start with breakfast, tomorrow. We'll just have to wake up a little earlier so I won't miss work, deal?" he conditioned. Both boys nodded and ushered Kurapika out of the kitchen and closed the door to clean up.

"I'm glad he didn't get mad at us," Gon said. Killua nodded in agreement. They both started by picking whatever food fell on the floor, then wiped the floor down, put the seasonings away, wiped the counter, threw out the food, and finally, washed the pans. They sighed in satisfaction when it was all done. They did a pretty damn good job. They opened the door and walked out to the living room, seeing Kurapika on the couch, his hair was wet, and he had his white clothes on without the tabard. He looked up when they stepped in and marked his page, setting the book down.

He got up and walked by, affectionately rubbing their heads as he passed, ignoring the pouts he got.

The boys then decided now was a good time for their bath.

~

Kurapika had a long day. He loathed Neon right now. He hated her with a passion sometimes. Just the first twenty minutes had been her insisting he kissed her stuffed animal. After an hour, she'd called him back, and tried to have him personally escort her to an amusement park. Which, he couldn't do unless he brought everyone else, which she stubbornly refused. Ten minutes later, she begged him to stay with her. (For no apparent reason.) An 2 hours later, she asked him to make her lunch, and when he complied, (since he had nothing else to do), she came in and tried to "help". If you can even call it that. She dropped a cup of water and "slipped" in it. Kurapika's instincts took in and he caught her, and she'd refused to let go for another twenty minutes. When he'd finally pried her off, she wasn't hungry anymore and asked him to escort her to bed. After he did, she clutched his wrist and mumbled him to stay until she fell asleep. Kurapika was positive she deliberately stayed awake.

After she actually fell asleep, Kurapika went back downstairs to do some paperwork, only to be stopped by Baise, who claimed she was taking the rest of the day off, so he'd have to take over standing outside her room.

By that time, Kurapika had been inwardly seething.

He'd stood by her bedroom door, listening to her sigh his name occasionally in her sleep and giggle.

Melody had to play a song on her flute to calm him down.

Seriously, she was the one person who made his job bearable. As much as he likes the others, he preferred Melody. She was kind-hearted, sympathetic, and had a soothing aura.

Unfortunately, Melody left 3 hours earlier, saying her friend was in the hospital, so Kurapika covered for her.

Since Melody and Baise were gone, Kurapika had extra work, and Basho wasn't much help. He was busy writing haiku's. Squala and Shachmono were guarding the outside of the house, and Linssen and Ivlenkov had the day off.

So helpful.

So between writing reports, tending to Neon, and thinking about the boys and Leorio, Kurapika had a really stressful and frustrating day.

Coming home to find his kitchen a mess was a shock to him, until he saw Gon and Killua. They were in shock too, apparently. Kurapika's heart had warmed when he found out their intentions were good and to help him relax. It didn't work out, but it was the thought that counts.

When they left to clean up, Kurapika went in the kitchen, surprised at how  _clean_ it looked. They did a really good job.

He sighed and yawned, taking some instant ramen out. He was too tired to cook. That was another reason why he insisted he started teaching them breakfast first. The other reason was simply because breakfast was easier.

He poured water in the pot and boiled it, dumping the dried noodles in it and added the flavoring. He stirred for a minute then leaned back, closing his eyes.

The sound of the water boiling with the noodles calmed his nerves slightly. He could feel himself nodding off...

"Kurapika?"

He jumped and looked over at the wide-eyed, freshly cleaned boys. "You look tired," Gon said. "Don't worry about me," Kurapika waved them off and grabbed some bowls and chopsticks. He put an equal amount of ramen in the bowls and handed it to them. "You can just put the bowls in the sink when you're done," Kurapika yawned and waved, stumbling to the living room. He flopped down on the couch and was out like a light almost instantly.

~

Gon and Killua slurped on their noodles and watched the tired blonde fall asleep. As soon as Killua finished, he rinsed his bowl and set it aside, with Gon mimicking him when he finished.

They walked to Kurapika's sleeping form, both taking note of the heavy bags under his eyes. Had he not been getting enough sleep? Or even eating enough? They weren't sure, they always got up when he was finishing up their pancakes. Maybe he ate before then.

Killua helped lay Kurapika in a better position while Gon brought the blanket to Kurapika's shouders. They grinned in satisfaction and went to bed themselves.

~The Next Day~

All three males were in the kitchen by 7:30, Kurapika was teaching them how to make scrambled eggs.

"After you crack the eggs, dump the yolk in a bowl and stir with a fork until its just liquid," Kurapika explained, stirring. He turned to the stove, setting the pan on medium and pouring a little oil on it. He waited for it to heat up before dumping the yolk on the pan. It sizzled and he waited patiently, taking a spatula. As it started to lighten up and harden on the edges, he started mixing it, cutting them in half. As they started hardening, he flipped the eggs on the other side, cutting them with the spatula. He tossed them about until they were fluffy and fully cooked. He turned the stove off and dumped the eggs on three plates.

They each ate their eggs, with Kurapika washing them afterwards.

"Hey, Kurapika?" Gon looked at him.

"Yes, Gon?"

"Can we...come with you to work? You might need some extra help, you know? That way you won't have to stay too late again."

Kurapika paused.

After a couple minutes, Kurapika nodded. "Yeah, that's fine. Everyone else wants to meet you anyway. But hurry up, we have to leave in 10 minutes so we can be on time," he said.

Both Gon and Killua rushed to get dressed while Kurapika sat down, waiting patiently.

Gon walked out in his usual green outfit, and Killua came out in a white long sleeved shirt with a pink shirt over it and blue shorts.

The walked out of the apartment, Kurapika slipping his key in his pocket and walking off, the kids following closely.

The walk to the Nostrade's was long, it'd take a good half hour to get there.

Unfortunately, the streets were busier than normal, so it would take longer. Kurapika waited impatiently as the cars passed.

A little girl started crossing the street, holding a doll in her hands. Midway across the street, she tripped, just as a car was coming.

"WATCH OUT!!" Gon shouted as Killua gasped.

There was a flash of blue, gold, and white that darted past the two boys, shoving the girl, who was on her knees trying to rub the blood off of her scraped knee, out of the way. She skidded until she hit the curb, scraping her elbows and hitting her head, hard enough to hurt, but not enough to make it bleed.

Kurapika, meanwhile, wasn't so lucky.

He didn't have enough time to react after he shoved her out of the way. Mere seconds afterwards, the car had slammed directly into him. Gon and Killua ran over, shouting in a horrified terror.

"KURAPIKA!!!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I enjoy seeing Gon and Killua taking care of Kurapika when he's overworked. We need more of these.  
> And yes, it went 0-100 real quick.


	6. Losing you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We finally meet the Zoldycks.  
> Leorio is worried about Kurapika.  
> Gon and Killua want to talk to Leorio.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know some of these cities are from Greed Island, the "game", but let's say there is no Greed Island game, these are all real cities, okay?

 

"Milluki, have you tracked down Killua yet?" Silva asked. Milluki typed away on his computer, frowning. "Not yet," he answered. "Well why not? You're supposed to be good at this stuff!" Kikyo said angrily. "He moves around too much! I tried the tracking device we stuck in his bag, but it's out of range!"

"...What tracking device?"

"The small green one."

"YOU IDIOT!!" Kikyo screamed, "THAT ONE DOESN'T GO OUTSIDE OF TOWN!!"

Milluki scowled. "Well, why didn't you tell me?!" he demanded. "We did tell you, you useless son!" Silva snapped. "We need to get Illumi to search for him," Kalluto said from behind them. Silva turned to his son. "Yes...yes, Illumi won't let us down. Illumi knows what to do," he agreed. "Canary!" Kikyo yelled.

The young female butler walked in. "Yes, mam?"

"I need you to find Illumi. He may be across the mountain," Kikyo said.

"Illumi?" Canary paled, "might I ask, what for?"

"We need to bring back Killua." Silva answered.

"...Right, but, do we really need Illumi? Besides, won't Hisoka come with him? They're always together, aren't they?" Canary tried. She didn't like Illumi, or how he treated Killua.

"That's fine," Kikyo interjected, "we know he ran away with that Gon boy, so if Hisoka came along, it may be easier to capture them."

"Mom! I think I found a few places Killua and Gon might be at!" Milluki shouted. The entire family turned to him expectantly. Milluki scrolled down. "Zaban city, Yorknew city, Antokiba, Dolle Harbor, or the Zevil Island."

"And how are you sure about these specific locations?" Silva asked.

"He wants to be as far away from here as he can, but not too far. He knows if he goes too far, we'll kill Alluka. These are the placest far enough to be out of range, but close enough to where we won't kill Alluka."

"Speaking of, how is he?"

"Alluka is doing well."

"Good, you know what to do later."

"Of course."

"Now, Canary," Kikyo turned back to the female butler. "Go get Illumi, and if Hisoka is around, bring him too. Go," she ordered.

Canary held back a sigh. "Right away, miss."

~

"KURAPIKA, PLEASE HOLD ON!!" Gon shouted, kneeling by the unconscious, bleeding blonde. Killua stood by, his blue eyes wide. It'd all happened in such a blur, he barely followed. He took a deep, shaky breath. A woman, presumably the little girl's mother, had called 911 and speaking frantically. Killua ran next to Gon, who was still trying to talk to Kurapika. "Gon, we need to wait for the ambulance to come pick him up," he said quietly. Gon deflated and nodded, but didn't move from his spot. He was too scared. Scared for Kurapika's life. The last thing he wanted for this to happen.

It took 15 minutes for the ambulance to show up. The paramedics carefully placed Kurapika on a stretched, rolling it into the ambulance. Gon and Killua followed them, standing aside so the paramedics could do their thing.

Kurapika mumbled and gasped incoherently the whole ride. The two boys only made out the words "okay", "help", "boys", and "Leorio".

As soon as the ambulance got closer to the hospital, one of the few paramedics shouted.

"Turn on the siren!"

A moment later, the siren went off and the truck sped up.

~

"You're on break, Dr. Paladiknight," his secretary said as she hung up the phone. Leorio looked up from his paperwork and nodded, finishing up the paper he was on before straightening his papers and setting them down. He stood up and walked out, heading to the "break room", for coffee and a bagel. Just as he started to pour the coffee, he heard shouts from down the hall. He set it down, sighing. "What is it now?" he mumbled and walked to the hall.

A team of paramedics was rushing by, rolling a stretcher with some bloody person on it.

_'Wow, that person looks like he's been through hell.'_ Leorio mused, about to go back inside, but froze. He got a closer look and saw a mop of blonde hair, a tabard, and two kids, Gon and Killua, if he remembered correctly, running after them. His breath caught in his throat, his eyes widening in horror.

"K-Kurapika..?"

The paramedics ran by him.

Leorio stepped into the hall and stopped Gon and Killua. He glared at them, they both looked surprised.

"What happened? What did you do?" he seethed. "We didn't do anything, old man!" Killua growled. "Yeah! Kurapika got hit by a car!" Gon added. "Hit by a car?" Leorio repeated. Both boys nodded vehemently. Leorio pulled them in the break room and sat them down. He crossed his arms. "Explain."

"We were all walking to Kurapika's work," Gon started.

"And then a girl crossed the street!" Killua added.

"But the street was busy!"

"And she tripped!"

"And a car was coming!"

"So Kurapika pushed her out of the way!"

"And the car ran him over!" Gon teared up.

"And the car didn't even stop," Killua said darkly.

Leorio rubbed the bridge of his nose. It definitely sounded like Kurapika. "Do you know the license plate number?" he asked. Gon frowned and Killua answered immediately. He'd watched the car when it kept driving.

Leorio slumped in his seat.

"We're gonna go see Kurapika," Gon said. Leorio put a hand on his shoulder. "Don't bother. They're busy with him in the emergency room," he said. "How do you know?" Gon asked. "I'm a doctor, I know these things," Leorio answered.

"Then can you tell us if he's gonna be okay?" Killua asked.

Both boys looked at him pleadingly. Leorio stared at them, tensing at their puppy-like eyes. He could tell they genuinely cared about Kurapika.

He sighed.

"I don't know. It depends on how bad the damage is," he answered. "Can't you go in there and see?" Killua asked. Leorio paused in thought, frowning. "Maybe...I can try," he said slowly. "Please do, Mr. Leorio!" Gon begged. Leorio blinked in surprise and sighed. "I'll go see what I can do," he said, standing up and walked out, stopping at the threshold. "Wait here," he ordered.

"Yessir!"

"Alright."

Leorio rushed out, straight to the emergency room areas, looking around.

_'Which one? Which one? Which one is Kurapika in?'_

He darted to the left, opening it. No one was in there. He went right, and no one was there. This kept going for another minute, until he found the room doctors were in with his favorite blonde unconscious on the bed. He ran over. "Doctor Paladiknight, you're here?" one of the doctors asked in surprise as he hooked an oxygen mask to Kurapika.

"Yes, let me help."

"We've got it covered. We know he's your boyfriend, but you're supposed to be focused on the paperwork for Pokkle's surgery."

Leorio deflated, shooting Kurapika a sad glance.

"Don't worry, we'll let you see him as soon as we finish," his fellow doctor reassured him. Leorio nodded and walked out, feeling useless and guilty. His last words to Kurapika had been so harsh and full of anger. Now that he sees him again, he's on the verge of dying. He didn't want Kurapika to leave this world. Especially after his last words to him. He sank down, staring at the door for what felt like years.

After a couple hours, the doctors left the room, giving him full permission to check on Kurapika.

Leorio all but ran in, freezing at the sight.

Kurapika was laying in the bed, covers brought to his chest. Wires hooked on his arm into many machines. On his right wrist, needles connected to an IV, the pack full of blood. The heart monitor beeped slower than normal, his oxygen mask loose on his face.

And those were just what he was hooked up to.

His blonde hair was matted with blood, his forehead was wrapped up, patches covered his cheek and arms, bruises littering his body. Leorio leaned forward and carefully felt Kurapika's torso area, feeling some ribs out of place.

He stepped back with a deep frown. What really worried him was the head trauma.

"Hey, Kurapika, can you hear me?" he asked in his softest tone, as if words alone could shatter him. "Listen, you need to make it through. I need you, and..." Leorio swallowed. "S-so do...those kids. I still don't understand why you care for them so much, but they clearly care for you deeply in return. So...you have to wake up. You have to...please...I'm so sorry...flipping out on you like that was unnecessary. I was...a jerk. I hope you've forgiven me..." Tears spilled down Leorio's face. He wiped at them furiously and clutched Kurapika's deathly cold hand. "I want you to know, I still care about you. And dammit, you can't die..." he took a deep breath to try to calm himself down. "Please wake up soon, Kurapika. I still love you."

~

"He's not coming back." Killua said flatly, getting up and walking to the door. "But he said to wait here," Gon said, jumping up.

"Yeah, well, we need to find him and slap some sense into him! Kurapika needs us!" Killua retorted stubbornly. "Yeah, that's true...but..." Gon scratched his cheek with one finger. "I trust him..."

"You TRUST him?!"

"Yeah! I do!"

"Idiot! Why would you trust him?!"

"Because Kurapika trusts him!"

"Huh..?"

"Kurapika was mad at Leorio, but he never said he didn't trust him. He's been with Leorio for years, and never once mentioned a time where he didn't trust him. I believe in Kurapika's judgement! So we should too!"

"As much as I'd love to say _'good point',_ I can't."

"And why not?!"

"Remember the night we all met?! Leorio kept saying he'll call the cops on us, Gon! He wanted us out! He might be loyal to Kurapika, but we ruined their relationship! There is no way to tell if he has good intentions for us!" Killua argued.

"...Not if we explain."

"Huh? Explain what..?"

"Explain we've been looking for him, so we can talk to him, and try to fix their relationship." Gon clarified.

"That doesn't mean he'll believe us."

"He has to!"

"Why would he?!"

"BECAUSE HE KNOWS WE'RE IMPORTANT TO KURAPIKA!!"

"...What?"

"He knows Kurapika cares for us. And if anything happens to us, then Kurapika would never forgive him. They'd be more miserable than ever..."

"That doesn't explain why he hasn't come back for us for _2 hours_!!"

"Maybe he got caught up in it, or they're still working on him," Gon shrugged. Killua sighed and sat back down on a chair, resting his chin on his hand. "Man. This sucks," he complained. Gon patted his friend on the back and looked at the door. "All we can do is wait, I guess..."

It was silent for another half hour, until a doctor came in. He stopped. "What are you kids doing here?" he asked. They tensed. "W-we're waiting on Leorio to come back so he can tell us our friend's condition..." Gon stuttered nervously. The man eyed them suspiciously. "Really?"

"Yes, honest!"

"Hm...well, what's your relationship with him?" the doctor asked. The boys shared a look before glancing back at the doctor. "He's our...guardian's boyfriend," Killua said edgily.

"Who's your guardian?"

"Kurapika."

The doctor's face lit up. "Oh, so you're visiting him? We just finished him, Leorio probably walked in there moments ago! You can go see them, if you'd like!" he said enthusiastically. "Really? Where are they?" Gon asked excitedly. "Down the hall on the right, turn right at the end, walk straight, right again, and its the fourth door on your left," he said.

"Thank you!" Gon ran out, Killua following close behind.

~

Leorio was just sitting there, watching Kurapika's unconscious body. He had no more words to say. He'd spilled his heart out earlier. But he felt like he was forgetting something...

"Mr. Leorio!/Old man!" two voices called.

_'Oh, right. Them.'_

Leorio looked at them. They ran over, Killua looked alarmed and Gon looked devastated. "Is he gonna be okay?" Killua asked Leorio.

Leorio sighed. "From what I can tell, he's in a coma."

"A...coma?" Gon echoed in confusion.

"Yes, a coma is when you've gotten a severe injury on the head area, you slip into a state of deep unconsciousness and only time will tell when he'll wake up. Whether he hears us or not, I don't know."

"Kurapika..." Gon turned his attention back to the injured blonde. "Please, if you can hear me, please, please,  _please,_ wake up! We need you! I need you! Killua needs you! And Mr. Leorio needs you! You can't stay in a coma forever, please wake up!" Tears made the ravenette's brown eyes look larger.

Leorio felt like he swallowed a brick. He saw it now. He couldn't believe he didn't see it earlier.

He gathered them both up in his arms, surprising them both. He brought them to his chest. "He'll be okay. Even if he can't hear you, he'll fight his way to consciousness. He's stubborn. Too stubborn for his own good sometimes."

Both boys nodded and looked back at the bed, quiet. After a moment, they all pulled away from the hug. All at once, the two boys sat on one side of the bed, Gon buried his face in his arms, laying his arms on the bed, by Kurapika's shoulder. Killua rested his chin on his arms, slouching, his face closer to Kurapika's wrist.

Leorio sat on the opposite side, simply holding Kurapika's hand.

They all stayed like that until they fell asleep.

~

"Master Illumi, I'm glad I found you," Canary said. Illumi looked over from where he was sitting on a large rock. "Oh, and what do you want?" he asked blankly. "Mistress Zoldyck needs you. She says Milluki found some leads on Killua's whereabouts," Canary replied.

"Oh, lovely Killua..." a voice said in a sickly sweet tone.

Canary looked up, finding Hisoka perched on a thin branch on a tree. She didn't answer him.

"Is the unripened Gon, with him?"

"We believe so. It's a high possibility," Canary replied stiffly. She  _really_ hated Hisoka. The magician leaped down, landing next to Illumi. "Well now, you can count me in on this," Hisoka licked his lips. Illumi glared at him. "You better not hold me back," he warned.

Hisoka gave him an innocent look. "I would never hold you back, Illumi  _dear._ "

Illumi rolled his eyes while Canary inwardly gagged.  _Gross._

"Alright, well, let's head off and see where they want us to go then," Illumi sighed.

"Yes..." Hisoka smirked. "Let's go."

~

In the deepest part of the dungeon, or "isolation room" as the Zoldycks called it, laid a small figure. A crying figure, sniffling and bleeding, with Kalluto staring down upon her with distaste. "You deserve what's coming to you. Once we find Killua, you'll watch him suffer," he spat.

The figure sniffled and looked up, her usual bright blue eyes dead. "Please, no...not my big brother..." she wailed. "He'll come here on his own and save me! I know he will!" she wiped at her tears, only to smear more blood on her face.

"We'll see about that...Alluka."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh shit got real.  
> So Kurapika is in a coma, Illumi and Hisoka are gonna search for Killua and Gon, and Alluka is getting tortured.  
> And now the real plot unfolds!


	7. Please be Okay

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leorio takes Gon and Killua home.  
> Killua is worried about Alluka.  
> Gon is worried about Killua.  
> Illumi and Hisoka are now looking for Killua and Gon.  
> Alluka is mentally tortured.

 

Leorio woke up a afew hours later, yawning hugely and stretched. He glanced at the time and rubbed his eyes. It was half past 1 in the afternoon. He sighed and got up. He couldn't believe he had fallen asleep, he had work to do. He fixed his white coat and glanced at his unconscious ex-boyfriend, frowning. He leaned over and hesitated, biting his lip before deciding. He planted a kiss softly on the cheek what didn't have a patch on it. Standing upright, he noticed the two 12 year olds asleep, their breath light and even. Their peaceful looks reminded Leorio of when he and Kurapika were young. He sighed and walked to a cabinet and opened it, digging around until he found what he was looking for.

He unfolded the blanket and carefully draped it over their shoulders. He stepped back and nodded, content. He walked out and down the hall to his office.

His secretary gave him a dirty look. "You're break ended 4 hours ago," she said coldly.

"Sorry, it's just...my...friend was in an accident, I couldn't leave him," Leorio bit his lip. She sighed. "Well, whatever. Get your work done, or else you're working overtime tonight. You already missed your lunch break," she said.

"Alright, alright," Leorio mumbled. _So unfair._

Nevertheless, he sat down at his desk, picking up his pen and opened his documents, writing his report on Pokkle's surgery in two weeks.

~

Blue eyes fluttered open. Killua felt oddly warm. He lifted his head, blinking. A blanket was laid on his and Gon's shoulders.

He sat up and rubbed his eyes, glancing at Kurapika's broken form. Events from this morning flashed in his mind. He winced and got up, careful not to wake Gon up. He walked to the bathroom that was connected to the room and splashed water on his face, using a hand towel to rub his face dry. He stared at his reflection in the mirror, frowning. So much has happened ever since they ran away. He leaned back, crossing his arms.

...

_"Killua! Look! A city!" Gon cried excitedly. Killua looked up and over, squinting. After a moment, he beamed. "Yeah! You're right!" he trilled and smirked at the ravenette. "I'll race you there!" he challenged. "Alright, but loser buys dinner!" Gon said. "Alright, deal!" Killua agreed._

_"Ready..." they both said, "GO!!" they both took off running._

_As they got closer to town, Killua sped up, much to Gon's chagrin._

_"Hey! Cheater!" he cried._

_Killua laughed. "How am I cheating?"_

_"Because...you just are!" Gon stammered and tried matching the white haired boy's pace._

_Pretty soon, they arrived in town._

_"GOOOAAAAALLLL!" they shouted._

_"ALRIGHT, I WON!" Gon cheered. Killua gave him a blank look. "What are you talking about? I won!"_

_"No, I won fair and square!"_

_"No, I won!"_

_"I won!"_

_"I won!"_

_"I won!"_

_"I won!"_

_"Alright, how about this? We both won! So I buy your dinner, and you buy mine!" Gon compromised. "Huh? I don't get it! That doesn't even make any sense!" Killua complained. "It does too make sense!" Gon huffed, puffing his cheeks. "No it doesn't!" Killua crossed his arms._

_"Does too!"_

_"Does not!"_

_"Does too!"_

_"Does not!"_

_"Does too!"_

_"DOES NOT!!"_

_"DOES TOO!!"_

_They both huffed, pouting. After a minute, they walked into town, looking around. "Woah, this city is so cool!" Gon cried. "It's really big," Killua agreed. "What city is this?" Gon asked._

_"Haa? I don't know, I wasn't carrying the map..."_

_"...Uh..."_

_"...Gon...did you lose our map?"_

_"...No?"_

_"Liar!" Killua groaned and sat down. "Man, this sucks!" he whined, "we don't even know where we are!" Gon pouted at him. "Well, we probably lost it when you pushed me off that tree!" he accused. "It was a small tree, and you know it! Besides, you landed on your feet anyway!" Killua insisted. "That's not the point!" Gon exclaimed. "Well then what is?!" Killua demanded. "The point is I didn't lose it! You did!" Gon pouted._

_"Ugh...whatever." Killua ended the argument, crossing his arms. Gon sat down next to him with a sigh. It was quiet for awhile until Gon spoke up. "Hey, Killua?"_

_"Yeah?"_

_"Are we...gonna be on the run forever?"_

_Killua paused and glanced at his friend. Gon was staring at him, his brown eyes shining in his innocent, sad, curiosity. Killua didn't want to tell him the harsh truth, but he couldn't bear to lie to such a face. "I don't know," he opted to saying instead. Gon looked down._

_"Oh."_

_..._

Killua opened his eyes upon hearing a knock at the door. He opened it and saw said boy. Those same innocent brown eyes looked into piercing blue ones in concern. "Hey, Killua? Are you alright? You've been in here for awhile now," he said. Killua glanced at the time, shocked to see it was already almost 4. He ran a hand through his white hair. "Yeah, I'm alright. Just thinking about stuff," he replied vaguely. Gon nodded slowly and walked back in the room, with Killua following. They both sat back down where they'd fallen asleep and watched over Kurapika, both hoping that the blonde haired teen would open his eyes soon.

~

 

"We've concluded the places Killua and Gon may be staying at. They will either be here, here, here, here, or here. We're unsure which one, but it's definitely one of these places," Silva said. "If I know Killua, he'd be either in Zaban city, Yorknew city, or Zevil island," Illumi said. Silva looked at him, eyebrows raised. "Why those three in particular?" Zeno asked.

Illumi turned his dead eyes to his grandpa. "He won't hide out in just a city, we have to consider the possibility of him living in a forest. Killua can adapt to anywhere on short notice. And I believe his friend Gon enjoys the wildlife."

"I see..."

"But, it's also possible they've seen it coming, so we need to think things thoroughly. Which place to look through first is the question."

"Well," Hisoka flicked his cards to his other hand. "I'd say we should try Zevil Island first."

"And why is that?" Silva asked.

Hisoka gave a shrug and a smirk. "It's close enough. After that we can try Zaban city, then Yorknew. Illumi, _dear,_ are you certain they're in one of these three locations?"

"I'm very certain."

"Alright, then it's settled?" Hisoka asked.

"It's settled."

"Illumi, before you go, why don't you go say goodbye to Alluka?" Kikyo asked. Illumi looked bemused. "And why would I do that?" he asked blankly. She leaned forward. "Because he's in the isolation room," was all she responded with. "I think it's a good idea to say goodbye to your dear little brother," Hisoka said with an innocent smile. Illumi shot him a look of annoyance. "You're planning something," he accused. Hisoka gave him a smile too innocent. "Of course not."

Illumi rolled his eyes.

"Anyway, off with you!" Kikyo said.

Hisoka got off the wall and stalked out, with Illumi following him.

"So, Zevil Island?" Illumi clarified. Hisoka hummed and smirked, his yellow eyes wicked.

"Yes, but we simply must say goodbye to Alluka first."

A sigh. "Alright."

~

Gon paced around the room, stomach growling. He flushed and looked at the time. It was already past 8, the only thing he and Killua had was eggs from this morning. Killua eyed him in amusement. "Damn, Gon. I thought there was thunder for a minute," he teased. Gon blushed deeper. "Sh-shut up, Killua!" he pouted. Killua only laughed at him.

A moment later, the door opened, revealing a tired Leorio.

"Leorio!" both boys looked surprised to see him. He scratched his head with a small yawn. "Yeah, I'm here. I came to pick you both up."

"Huh? Pick us up?" Gon echoed.

"Yeah, it's against the rules to stay here overnight. And I know if I throw you out on the streets, Kurapika would kill me when he wakes up."

He motioned them to follow him. They hesitated and looked at Kurapika before nodding. They all walked out of the emergency room.

They walked to Leorio's black car, the kids climbing in the back and Leorio in the drivers seat.

"Wow, even Kurapika doesn't have a car!" Gon exclaimed. "That's because Kurapika believes it's better to walk places," Leorio said, eyeing them in his mirror before starting the car. He backed out of the parking spot and drove to the hotel he was staying at.

"So, Kurapika told us you two have been dating for 5 years?" Killua mentioned. "That's right," Leorio said stiffly.

"What made you wanna go out with him?" Gon asked.

"Well..."

...

_"Kurapika? What's wrong?" A concerned 15 year old Leorio asked. Kurapika wiped his tears. "I- I was just thinking about this girl I liked back in the forest. I realized that...I'll never see her again!" Kurapika burst out. "What was she like?" Leorio sat down next to his smaller friend. Kurapika sniffed and lowered his head. "W-well, she was really pretty, she was nice, she always made me laugh, and she took care of Pairo when I couldn't," he answered._

_"Pairo was the one who couldn't see well, right?"_

_"Yeah."_

_"She sounds nice."_

_"She_ was _nice," Kurapika muttered. Leorio winced. "Sorry," he mumbled and looked at him again. Kurapika looked so devastated and heartbroken. "Hey, why don't you try to go on a date with me?"_

_"With you?"_

_"Yeah," Leorio smiled gently, "I'm definitely not her, but maybe you can get your mind off of her..."_

_"Are you hitting on me?" Kurapika asked in disbelief._

_Leorio started sweating. "Well, uh..."_

_Kurapika giggled. "I can try. I like you too, you know," he leaned over and kissed Leorio's cheek._

_..._

"He was so lonely and heartbroken. At first, it was just to help him get over the girl he liked, but after he gave me that kiss, I started to like him more and more like that. And I guess he felt the same."

"Poor Kurapika," Gon said sadly. Killua looked out the window with a frown.

Pretty soon, Leorio pulled up at a building and turned off the car. "Well, we're here," he said.

They boys hopped out of the car and followed the tall man inside. They stepped inside the elevator, with Leorio pushing the 4th floor.

After getting there, they walked into his room number; 403.

"Woah, this is a nice hotel room!" Gon exclaimed. It was a simple, and basic room. The kind with two beds as soon as you walk in, a tv, and a bathroom. "Hey, Leorio? How come you didn't get an apartment?" Killua asked curiously. Leorio looked away. "That's none of your business," he muttered. "There's no kitchen, do you not know how to cook?" Gon asked curiously.

"HEY! I KNOW IT'S NOT AS NICE AS KURAPIKA'S PLACE, BUT SHOW SOME RESPECT!!" Leorio shouted. Gon looked at him with his innocent frown. "But it was just a question, Mr. Leorio."

Leorio sighed in frustration. "No, I can't cook. Happy now?"

"So you just order takeout?" Killua asked, folding his arms behind his head with a bored look on his face.

"Yes, I order takeout! There's nothing wrong with that!" Leorio defended.

"Sure, if you call getting fat and unhealthy nothing wrong," Killua yawned.

"I AM PERFECTLY HEALTHY!!"

Killua started to laugh. "Whatever helps you sleep, old man," he said. "I'M ONLY 20!!!" Leorio yelled.

"If Kurapika didn't tell us you're two years apart, I would've thought you were in your late 30s," Gon said shyly.

Leorio flopped on his bed, burying his face in a pillow and screamed.

The 12 year olds burst out laughing.

Leorio huffed and sat up, pouting. "What's wrong with you guys?" he complained. "We still care about you, Mr. Leorio!" Gon offered. Leorio looked at him in surprise.

"You care about me?"

"Of course we do! Kurapika still cares about you too! In fact, he cries at ni-"

Killua slapped his hand over Gon's mouth.

Leorio stared at them and chuckled. "Well, anyway, what do you want? Pizza? Chinese?"

"PIZZA!!" Gon and Killua shouted excitedly. Leorio jumped in surprise and fell off the bed. He groaned in pain. The boys laughed again. Gon offered a hand, which Leorio accepted, pouting. He dusted his shirt off, picking up his phone and dialed in pizza hut. He ordered two large pizzas, before hanging up. "We're having pizza, Gon! We haven't had pizza since we were at Aunt Mito's!" Killua said excitedly. Gon nodded with a bright smile. "All Kurapika fed us was healthy foods," Killua explained to Leorio. Leorio snorted. "Yeah, that sounds like Kurapika," he nodded.

"And you're a junkie!" Gon smiled.

"A perfect match!"

"Oh shut up!" Leorio huffed and stormed to the bathroom to shower.

Gon and Killua sat on one of the beds.

"Hey, Killua?"

"Yeah?"

"Um...do you think...Alluka is okay?"

Killua looked down. "I...I don't know...but..." Killua's eyes filled with tears. "I...I left her alone...I'm a bad big brother!" he buried his face in his hands. Gon gave him a hug. "You're not a bad big brother, we'll get her back," Gon soothed. Killua wiped his tears, his cheeks flushed. "But...how?" he sniffled. Gon frowned and stayed quiet before answering in a soft, gentle tone. "We'll talk to Mr. Leorio and Kurapika about it...when Kurapika wakes up."

" _If_ Kurapika wakes up," Killua muttered bitterly.

"He will! I know it!" Gon said in determination. Killua nodded hesitantly and leaned on his shoulder, sighing. "I miss Alluka. I knew I should've brought her with me. I knew it, but I was so selfish, I wanted out as fast as I could and left her there! Now they're torturing her because of _me_!" he let out a choked sob. Gon rubbed his back.

"It'll be okay. I promise, we'll save her..." Gon closed his eyes.

Yes, they'll save Alluka, even if it kills them.

~

"Big brother Illumi? Why are you here?" Alluka asked in a small voice, her eyes wide. He leaned over. "We're just here to tell you we're coming after Killua," he replied emotionlessly. Alluka's blue eyes widened in fear. "No, please don't! Don't hurt big brother Killua!" she begged. Hisoka walked in and smiled. His smile wasn't friendly though, it practically screamed trouble. "We wouldn't dream of it," he said innocently.

"Liar! Leave Killua alone!" she shouted.

Hisoka laughed and tugged Illumi's arm. "Let's go, Illumi _dear._ " Illumi sighed and followed his red-haired boyfriend out. Alluka watched helplessly as Illumi and Hisoka left to get Killua. She started crying, wiping at her tears.

"Killua, be careful..." she whispered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Illumi and Hisoka have began their search! Will they find them before Kurapika wakes up? When will Kurapika wake up anyway? And how will Killua and Gon save Alluka?


	8. All These Thoughts and Emotions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leorio bonds with Gon and Killua.  
> Killua hates himself.  
> Gon wishes life was better.  
> Hisoka and Illumi search for Gon and Killua.  
> Kurapika is getting a new visitor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! I'm sorry for the late update, but I have a big reason! We were on an over-week-long vacation and couldn't bring my laptop! But not to worry! I had many ideas I typed on my phone, so here we are!  
> Enjoy~!

 

"That will be 35 yen," the pizza delivery man said at the threshold. Leorio grumbled and fished out the money necessary before handing it over to the man, accepting the pizza in exchange. Gon and Killua jumped around behind him, which he promptly ignored. "Have a good day," the delivery man said cheerfully before leaving. Leorio kicked the door behind him and groaned. "Pizza is getting more and more expensive, I swear," he complained.

"Yeah, okay, where are the plates?" Killua asked impatiently.

"Top cupboard."

Killua ran to a cupboard nearby and opened it, taking out three plates.

He set them down on the table as Leorio placed the pizza boxes down.

Leorio opened a box and lifted one of the slices, only to drop it and cry out. "OW!! IT'S SO HOT!!" he shrieked.

Gon and Killua shared a look before bursting out laughing.

He blew at his burning hand, wincing at the pain. "You're not supposed to grab it immediately, of course it's gonna be hot," Killua snickered. Leorio simply huffed while blushing in embarrassment. "I- I knew that! I was just...um...I was..." he stammered. "It's okay, Mr. Leorio! Some people don't ever think before taking action!" Gon smiled brightly. Leorio sulked in a corner. "And how was that supposed to make me feel better?"

After afew minutes, the trio got their slices of pizza and sat on a bed, eating in silence, before Leorio spoke up.

"Why did you two run away?"

They both froze. Killua's face went from surprise, to anger. "And how the hell is that any of your business?!" he snarled. "Killua!" Gon chided. Killua glared at his friend, pointing at Leorio. "This is why I liked Kurapika better! He knew better than to pry in other peoples business!" he growled.

"Killua, calm down! I think we should tell him..."

"WHAT?! WHY?!"

"BECAUSE IF WE TELL HIM, WE HAVE A BETTER CHANCE AT SAVING ALLUKA!!"

Killua froze, instantly going silent. Gon, taking this as a sign to continue, spoke again. "The more people we have, the better chance we have at saving Alluka. There's always strength in numbers, right?"

Killua fidgeted but eventually nodded. He set his plate aside and got up, taking a deep breath. Gon gave him an encouraging smile and a single nod.

Wordlessly, Killua took his shirt off, making Leorio gasp.

Scars littered Killua's torso, varying in size. Most of them were large, and few were small. "There's more on his back," Gon spoke. Killua shot him a glare but remained quiet.

Leorio set his plate down and kneeled infront of the boy, reaching out hesitantly to touch his scars, wincing at the jagged feel. "Who..?" he whispered. Killua clenched his fists and swallowed a heavy lump down his throat. "My family."

"..."

"They abuse me. They want me to be like my older brother Illumi. But I'm not like him. I never will be! They have so many expectations that if I don't fulfill to their satisfaction, they hurt me. Most of the time, they used whips.  _'Whip you into shape',_ they'd say...I couldn't handle it...I ran away from home and left my little sister like a selfish coward! I'm a horrible big brother! They could be hurting her as we speak!" Killua was in hysterics now. He began to sob, burying his face in his hands. "I just...I HATE MYSELF!!" he shrugged his shirt on and ran out.

"Killua!" Leorio stood up, but Gon stopped him with a sad look. "Let him go. He needs time alone," he said softly. "He won't hurt himself?" Leorio asked uncertainly. Gon shook his head. "He wants to make sure Alluka is safe."

Leorio cast the door that Killua disappeared into a sad frown. He had no idea the white haired boy went through so much  _pain._ He never would've guessed from how cocky and rude he acted. It made sense now though, kids on the run tend to harden. He sighed and turned to the ravenette. "Well, what about you? Did your parents ever abuse you?" he asked. Gon shook his head.

"Nope. My mom died when I was little and my dad left me when I was born, so I've lived with my Aunt Mito. She's more like a mom to me though! She was really sweet and kind!"

"So then why did you run away from her?"

Gon frowned. "I didn't run away from  _her._ I ran away with Killua because he needs someone to be there for him. I want to be there for him. I still do! He doesn't have any other friends! He needs me!" Gon's brown eyes shined in determination. "Jeez," Leorio muttered and looked at the door again with a worried frown.

~

Killua repeatedly punched a large tree at a nearby park, ignoring any stares he got. "Dammit! I hate this!" Punch. "I hate my family!" Punch. "I hate myself!" Punch. He deflated and sank to his knees, trembling. His knuckles were bleeding, but he didn't care. He stared at the ground with a tortured expression. "I don't care anymore," he whispered. He wiped at his tears and sniffled. He was crying like a baby in public.

"Are you alright?"

Killua turned to find an old lady staring down at him in concern. He looked away. "Leave me alone," he said icily. She shook her head and sat down, wincing. "These old bones don't do so well sitting like this," she remarked. Killua scoffed. "Then get up and go."

"No, not until you tell me why you're saying such horrible things. Why would a young boy like you hate yourself?"

"None of your business, you damn hag!"

The old lady didn't seem affected by this. "My name is Karina."

"Good for you. Go away."

"I'm going to help you."

"Like hell you will! You don't care! Nobody does!"

"I do care, if I didn't, why would I be here?" she countered.

Killua fell silent. Karina put a hand on his shoulder. "Why do you hate yourself?" she asked gently. Killua looked down and answered in a quiet tone. "I left someone dear to me behind in the hands of monsters. I selfishly ran off without her. And I can't get her back...even though she's probably being tortured!"

"I see. Well, you know what the best solution is?"

"What..?" Killua sniffed.

"Confront those monsters. Take her back, do whatever it takes."

"But I can't! There's too many, and...I only have myself and my friend..." Killua teared up. Karina gave him a gentle smile. "You never know until you try, dear. Things will always look grim, but if you have enough mindset, it'll all turn out okay in the end." She patted his head and stood up with a grunt. She waved and left him there to think about what she said.

_'Mindset, huh...'_

Killua sighed and got up, dusting himself off. Another walk would help him clear his head.

~

As time went on, Gon wondered what became of his Aunt Mito. He had yet to send her a single letter.  _'She must be worried sick.'_ Gon thought sadly. He missed her so much. He wanted to be in her safe and loving arms again. But he couldn't. He had to be there for Killua, and dammit he was not going to let his best friend down! He absolutely refused! Killua needed him more than Mito did! He clenched his fists. Even so, it didn't stop him from wishing he had Mito nearby. She always knew what to say to make everything better.

She was an excellent source of comfort to Killua, too.

Was she mad at him for running away? Gon certainly hoped not. She was his only family he knew of. He didn't want to be alone.

Yes, despite him tending to all of his friend's needs, Gon still had his own internal problems. His Aunt Mito. His other friends. Kurapika.

His worries always clouded his thoughts, and he'd feel a big wave of depression. He fidgeted and brought his skinny knees to his chest, wrapping his arms around them and buries his face in his arms. He wished so much that Killua had a normal family, they could play together. They didn't have to worry about anything. Not if Killua would get hurt, not about Aunt Mito, and not about Alluka. All 3 of them just playing. It sounded so wonderful, but Gon knew it would never happen. It  _could_ never happen. That's what hurts Gon the most. Life wasn't fair. Not to Killua, or anyone else. All he wanted was a peaceful life with his best friend, why was that so much to ask?

But if this didn't happen, he wouldn't have met Kurapika and Leorio. He already held a special place for both of them in his heart.

"Man, this is so frustrating!" Gon whined to himself. Maybe he could live that dream life and meet Kurapika and Leorio.

In either case...

He glanced at the digital clock on the nightstand, biting his lip. Killua had been out for 4 hours now. Gon hoped he was okay; he never stayed away for longer than an hour and a half. Maybe he should go look for him and make sure he's okay.

With that new goal in mind, Gon got up and left.

~

"Here we are, Illumi  _dear_! We have reached Zevil Island!" Hisoka announced, spreading his arms out wide with a grin. Illumi rolled his eyes. "Yes, Hisoka. I know," he said flatly. Hisoka spun around once and beamed his not-so-friendly smile. "Isn't this  _marvelous_? We have an entire island all to ourselves!"

"We're here to look for Killua and Gon, not to fool around."

"Aww, baby don't be such a downer!" Hisoka appeared right behind him. Illumi didn't even blink.

"Honestly, sometimes I wonder why I'm with you."

Hisoka put a hand to his heart in mock-hurt. "Oh Illumi! How hurtful! Don't you love me?"

"No."

"Aww..."

Hisoka gave his boyfriend a pout, which was promptly ignored. He huffed and looked around. "Well, time to search the island for the two little brats," Illumi said emotionlessly. Hisoka felt his sadistic grin etch across his face. "Yes, let's look for the unripened children," he licked his lips excitedly.

Illumi gave him a dry glare. "What are you planning?"

Hisoka gave him an innocent smile. "Nothing."

"Bullshit."

"How rude!"

"Get over it. Let's just go."

"Alright,  _honey._ "

With another eye roll, Illumi stalked off into the forest, being extremely careful. Hisoka leaped into a tree to search higher ground, raising a hand to block the sun from his eyes. He hummed to himself. "Where, oh where, did you children go?" he sang. He sang it over and over again, much to Illumi's annoyance.

"If they are here, they'd never come out, hearing  _you_!"

"Ouch, that's cold."

Illumi groaned at his careless boyfriend. This was going to take allot longer than necessary at this rate.

~

As a doctor, Leorio was able to visit any patient he wanted as long as he got his own work done. Today, his patient Pokkle and his girlfriend Ponzu were in his office, discussing his brain surgery.

"I'm really nervous," Pokkle admitted. "I hope the surgery goes well," Ponzu whimpered slightly. Leorio gave them his best reassuring smile. "I assure you both, we'll do our best to get rid of Pokkle's Parkinson's Disease," he said soothingly. They both nodded, Ponzu clutched Pokkle's hand a little tighter, which he responded with a small smile.

Leorio watched enviously. He and Kurapika used to be like that until he foolishly dumped him. And he couldn't even make amends right now, because Kurapika was still in a coma.

"Doctor? Are you okay?" Ponzu asked softly.

Leorio blinked, looking at the couple infront of him.

"Yeah, don't worry, just lost in thought. Go home and get some rest," Leorio instructed. Both nodded and got up, waving and leaving.

Leorio sighed and sat there for afew more minutes before deciding to visit Kurapika. He got up, stretched, and left the room, walking mechanically to the emergency room. Upon arrivng, he noticed Gon and Killua were both already there, sitting at the blonde's unconscious form. Gon had his devastated look on his face, while Killua obviously tried to look emotionless, but the pain in his eyes was evident. He stood at the threshold, watching the pre-teens stare sadly at their bloodied, bruised, and broken friend.

They truly did care for Kurapika.

And this made Leorio happy. He was glad that his ex-boyfriend wasn't being used for shelter or food or anything of the sort. They cared for him, just as much as Kurapika did for them. He stepped back and walked away quietly, relaxed, knowing those boys would tell him if there was any change in Kurapika's condition.

As he exited the emergency hallway, he nearly ran into a tall, pale, black haired man, with a headband covering his forehead. He blinked in surprise. "Oh, sorry. You visiting someone?" he asked politely.

The man merely cocked an eyebrow. (Or, at least Leorio thinks he did.)

"Yes. I'm looking for a certain someone who is supposedly in the emergency room."

"Who are you visiting, and what's your relationship with them?" Leorio asked.

"I'm looking for Kurapika...you see...we're old... _friends._ " Leorio didn't trust the way he said 'friends'. Not one bit.

"Okay, so, who are you then?" Leorio asked. He knew all of Kurapika's friends. Maybe he'd recognize one of the names?

The man gave him a big smirk in response.

"My name is Chrollo."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AND CHROLLO MAKES AN APPEARANCE!!! O.O  
> So Chrollo is here, Kurapika is still in a coma, Hisoka and Illumi are getting closer to finding the boys, and Gon and Killua are at a loss on what to do. What will happen next?!  
> (Hehe, also, did you see what I did with Pokkle? Brain surgery? ...Spoiler for the Chimera Ant Arc if you haven't seen it, or you're still watching it, Pitou picks at his brain and he dies. I'm sorry I cried at this scene, but I had to add it.)  
> And if you didn't know, Parkinson's Disease affects your movement, giving the brain mixed signals.


	9. Trust and Anger Issues

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leorio doesn't trust Chrollo.  
> Chrollo's gang is introduced.  
> Gon is confused about Killua and tells Leorio how he met Hisoka.  
> Killua does research on the Chrollo and finds something horrifying.  
> Illumi and Hisoka failed to find the boys on Zevil Island.  
> Silva Zoldyck is angry and takes his frustration out on Alluka.

 

"Chrollo?" Leorio repeated with a frown, eyebrows furrowing. He could swear he's heard his name before. But where? Well, whatever. All he knew was this guy was bad news. He could  _feel_ the dark aura around this guy, despite his smooth, cool features.

"Yes, that's what I said. Now let me through, please."

"I'm sorry," Leorio said icily, "but Kurapika already has visitors. He can't have anymore than two."

"Since when was that a rule? And you were just visiting him."

"I'm a doctor. I was checking on him."

"Don't bother lying...Leorio Paladiknight."

Leorio froze. "How the hell did you know my name?" he asked stiffly, not liking the creepy smile on Chrollo's face.

"I know allot about you, Leorio. I know you used to date Kurapika and dumped him, because he took in two 12 year old boys. What were their names? Ah, yes, Gon and Killua, right?"

"You stay the hell away from them!" Leorio snapped angrily. He would  _not_ let this creep touch those boys. Not only did he just start caring for them, but Kurapika would have his head. Which he'd like to keep, thank you very much!

"Touchy, aren't we?" Chrollo chuckled in wicked amusement. Leorio glared at him, clenching his fists. "Answer me," Leorio gritted out, "how the hell do you know so much about us?! We've never seen you before in our lives!"

At this, Chrollo's amused grin turned to a nasty smirk. "I have my ways. Now, are you going to let me by, or do I have to use force?" he asked calmly. "Go ahead and try to use force, you sick bastard! I can just call for security!"

At this threat, Chrollo's face darkened. "Perhaps I'll visit another time. Who knows, maybe I'll come for the precious and innocent Gon, or the emotionally tortured Killua. Or even simply remain firm on my goal with Kurapika."

"You better stay the  _hell_ away from them." Leorio's voice turned deadly. To an ordinary person, this would be scary. But Chrollo didn't seem to give a damn. He only turned and waved. "Watch your back, Paladiknight. I'm coming for one of you."

As soon as Chrollo was out the doors, Leorio sank to his knees, his heart was pounding. "Oh god, oh god, oh god," he groaned. "What in the hell just happened?" he buried his face in his hands.

"Leorio?"

Leorio turned, surprised to see Killua standing at the threshold, arms crossed with a frown. He stood up quickly and cleared his throat. "Yes, Killua?" he asked stiffly. "Who was that man that just left?" Killua asked. Leorio squared his shoulders. "Don't worry about it, he's bad news," he said smoothly. Killua's face darkened. "I asked you a question, old man. I want an answer. Who was he?" he demanded. Leorio rubbed the bridge of his nose and sighed, hesitating before finally answering. "His name was Chrollo."

Killua paused, his face slowly paling in horror. "Shit, shit, shit! I gotta go! Gon! I'll be right back!" he yelled.

"Eh? Where are you going, Killua?"

"Just watch over Kurapika!"

"O-okay..."

Killua ran out the building, leaving a dumbfounded Leorio and a confused Gon behind.

~

In a secret part of Yorknew city, a gang of 12 lounged around, doing their own thing. Machi was lining her nails, Shalnark playing cards with some of the others, and Uvogin working out with a large dumb bell.

"Hey, when's the boss coming back?" Omokage asked, looking up from his doll.

"He said he'd be back at 5, you doll-obsessed idiot." Phinks jeered at him. Omokage glared at him hatefully. "It was just a question!" he snapped. "It was a stupid one! The boss already said it, but I guess you were so into your precious little doll you didn't pay attention!"

"If you mock my doll one more time, I'll kill you!"

"Ladies, ladies, you're both beautiful, now will you please shut up?" Feitan said calmly, hiding his amused smirk. Phinks and Omokage's jaws dropped in shock.

The others started giggling in amusement, as if they weren't psychotic assholes. Phinks grumbled angrily and sat down, crossing his arms.

"What's your doll's name anyway?" Shalnark asked with his usual smile. Did he  _ever_ stop smiling?

"My doll..." Omokage looked at it with a proud smile. "Her name is Retz." He held up the female doll with long blonde hair, her eyes were closed, and she wore a black and red dress, a bow, tights, and shoes.

"Obsessed." Phinks grumbled.

"SHUT UP!!"

"Will they ever stop arguing?" Franklin asked dryly. "No, I highly doubt they ever would," Nobunaga shook his head.

Machi stood up calmly and walked over to the arguing men, grabbing both of their ears. "If you two don't stop it right now, I swear, I will rip your ears off," she said in a low voice. Instantly, they both fell silent.

Feitan let out a low whistle.

"That shut them up," Pakunoda mused.

"Of course! Next to the boss, Feitan, and Uvo, Machi is the scariest one here!" Shalnark said cheerfully. Uvogin sat his dumb bells down and sat by his lover. "Babe, how come you said Feitan's name before mine?" he complained. Shalnark gave him a dry look. "Because Feitan is the master of torture."

"And I'm not?"

"No, you're just a big brute."

Uvogin just pouted in response.

"I'm back everyone."

Everyone turned to Chrollo, whose hands were in his pockets.

"Boss!" they greeted.

"What did you do while you were gone?" Shizuku asked curiously. Chrollo sat down on his special seat, leaning back. Everyone waited for him to answer, which didn't come for several minutes. Eventually, he replied vaguely. "Just an old friend, I suppose."

"Do we know him?" Uvogin asked.

"Sort of."

"Who is it?" Nobunaga asked.

Chrollo smirked at them. "Do you really want to know?"

"YES!!" everyone shouted.

"Alright. It was Kurapika."

"...Who?" Pakunoda asked with a frown. She struggled to remember anyone by the name of 'Kurapika', but she was coming up blank. Seeing everyone's obvious confusion, Chrollo chuckled before clarifying.

"The last Kurta."

And with that, the entire room was in chaos.

~

Gon watched in confusion as his best friend left the hospital, frowning.  _'Where's he going? Why did he look so panicked?'_ Gon wondered and glanced at his broken blonde friend. Killua had told him to watch over Kurapika. And by the tone of his voice, he knew it was urgent. He scratched his head and looked back up. "Mr. Leorio!" he called.

"Leorio is fine. What is it?" Leorio asked, seeming distracted.

"Did something bad happen? You look pale..." Gon frowned. Leorio bit his lip, before speaking.

"I should probably tell you, since you're a part of this," he sat down on the chair across from him. He shifted for a minute before looking at Gon straight in the eye. "Gon, do you know a man named Chrollo?" he asked. Gon blinked and furrowed his brows in thought. "He sounds familiar," he admitted.

Leorio waited.

Gon put a hand to his chin and thought for awhile.

_'Why does Chrollo sound so familiar? I know Killua mentioned him once...wait...'_

Gon's head snapped up, brown eyes wide. "CHROLLO IS HISOKA'S EX-BOYFRIEND!!" he shouted. When Leorio gave him a look of confusion, Gon blinked. "Oh yeah, you don't know. Killua has two older brothers and one younger brother and one younger sister," he began. Leorio stared at him expectantly. Gon shifted before speaking again. "Illumi is Killua's oldest brother, and he has a boyfriend named Hisoka..." Gon gulped, fear clouding his brown eyes. "Hisoka is really creepy! He's a magician, and he gets turned on easily...I met him once, and that was not too long after Killua turned 11.."

...

_"I can't believe your parents are letting me sleepover!" Gon said excitedly. "I know, right?!" Killua jumped up and down with a big smile on his face. He grabbed Gon's wrist. "Come on! I'll show you my room! It's definitely the coolest place in the entire house!"_

_"But your house is so big!"_

_"Yeah, but this is my room, so it_ has  _to be the coolest!" Killua smirked. Gon giggled. "Yeah, that's true! Let's go!"_

_The two boys ran upstairs excitedly, only to stop at the top. Killua's face contorted to horror, while Gon looked on in confusion. At the top was Killua's brother, Illumi, if he remembered correctly, and a weird clown or magician with red hair and a creepy smile._

_"Oh, Kil, didn't know you had company," Illumi said coolly. Killua gulped and nodded. "Y-yeah, d-dad s-said G-Gon could spend the n-night," he stuttered, taking a step back. Unfortunately, the stairs were right behind him. He flailed and cried out, about to start falling. Just as he was about to fall on the next step, Gon lunged forward quickly. "KILLUA!" he shouted, grabbing his friend's wrist and yanking him up, hugging him tightly._

_"Oh..." Hisoka licked his lips and leaned over so he was close to Gon's face. "You have really fast reflexes," he said. Gon blinked at him and nodded slowly. "Y-yeah, I guess I do..." he said quietly._

_Hisoka slowly smirked, his entire demeanor changing. "You have potential. Lots of it. If you work a little more, you can grow up to be nice...and strong..." he licked his lips again. Gon tensed, he could_ feel  _the bad vibe Hisoka was giving off. Illumi sighed. "Not now, Hisoka. We have work to do." he said flatly._

_"Aww, but Illumi dear, I'm so turned on right now..."_

_Illumi rolled his eyes and grabbed Hisoka's wrist and suddenly led him in a different direction. Into Illumi's bedroom._

_"Killua? Are you okay?" Gon asked worriedly, turning his attention to his friend. Killua got out of his grip and nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine. Thanks," he mumbled. Gon nodded and looked in the direction of Illumi's room. "Hey, Killua? Who was that guy with your brother?" he asked. Killua grimaced. "That's Illumi's boyfriend. Hisoka. I'm really sorry, Gon. If I'd known he was gonna be here, I wouldn't have invited you..." he buried his face in his hands guiltily. Gon tugged at his arm. "It's okay, Killua! I forgive you!" he said, trying to comfort him. Killua looked up and shook his head vehemently. "No! It isn't okay! Hisoka saw you have fighting potential, and now he's gonna lust after you!" he cried._

_"Killua?"_

_"...What?"_

_"What does 'lust after' mean?"_

_"...Let's just go." Killua grabbed Gon's wrist and led him down the hallway, past Illumi's room. All Gon heard as they passed was Hisoka moaning out loudly. "YES! I LOVE YOUR MOUTH ILLUMI, DEAR!!"_

_Gon never did figure out what that meant._

_..._

"Hisoka..." Leorio repeated with a frown. He didn't like the story Gon just told him. He sounded like bad news.  _Really_ bad news. Gon nodded. "Yeah, and Chrollo used to be Hisoka's boyfriend before he met Illumi. Killua told me that he overheard Hisoka whine to Illumi about him and when he asked Illumi about it, Illumi told him that Chrollo dumped him because he kept...um...'lusting after him when he wasn't ready..." Gon tilted his head to the side. "Hey, Leorio? What does 'lusting after' mean?"

Leorio's cheeks reddened. "Oh, uh, don't worry about it..."

Gon pouted. He'll never know what 'lusting after' means.

~

Killua ran inside the library, going straight for a computer. He turned it on and waited impatiently for the internet to come on. Once it did, he quickly searched up 'Chrollo'. He tapped his fingers until a short article came up. He clicked on it, clenching his teeth. He didn't like what he read.

 

**Chrollo Lucilfer.**

**Chrollo is the leader of a large gang who call themselves the _Phantom Troupe._ He has been on the run for 14 years and has been a criminal of multiple crimes for 10 years. Other members of the  _Phantom Troupe_  Nobunaga, Shizuku, Machi, Shalnark, Uvogin, Feitan, Franklin, Pakunoda, Omokage, Phinks, Bonolenov, and Kortopi. Each member has been declared dangerous in some way. This gang of villains have committed series of various crimes such as robbery, illegal gambling, bombings, fraud, possible sex offendings, kidnapping, torture, and mass murder.**

**The _Phantom Troupe_ have been wanted for several years yet no one has found where their secret base is. It is uncertain if they stay well-hidden in one place, or if they migrate around the country or even possibly other countries.**

**It was suspected and later confirmed by officials that the _Phantom Troupe_ was the reason why the now extinct Kurta clan was annihilated.**

 

Killua froze, staring at the last sentence in shock and horror. He remembered what Kurapika told them on the night they met, after asking about his tabard.

_"I was out of town with Leorio, and when I came back, all 128 people of my clan was dead..."_

He buried his face in a hand. His brother's boyfriend's ex-boyfriend was responsible for his new friend's family. His entire clan. He clenched his teeth and slammed a fist down. "Dammit!" he growled.

"Shh!" the librarian scolded.

He moved his hand away from the desk, but his scowl didn't fade. If only he knew where Chrollo's hideout was! He should've tried to follow him! He slapped both his cheeks in frustration.  _'I'M SUCH AN IDIOT!!'_ he screamed in his mind. He slouched down, mentally cursing himself out.

He then realized something.

_'I have to tell Kurapika.'_

He shook his head quickly.  _'But he's in a coma right now! Not to mention, he's going to be stuck there for awhile even after he wakes up! If I tell him, he'll try to leave when he's not fully healed! He'd get hurt all over again! But I can't keep the truth from him...it's wrong...I mean, he has the right to know. It was his clan. Keeping this a secret is a bad idea. Maybe I should tell Gon and the old man, and we could all discuss when a good time would be to tell him...yeah...I think I'll do that.'_

Killua switched the computer off. He had to tell them.

Now.

~

"Illumi dear, we've searched this entire island! Those boys aren't anywhere to be found!" Hisoka complained. "Did you search  _every_ tree?" Illumi crossed his arms. Hisoka huffed. "Of course I did! And you searched every inch of the ground, didn't you?"

"Yes." Illumi replied stoically.

"Oh Illumi, you're so stressed!" Hisoka appeared behind him and started rubbing his shoulders. "Mm...I know what can relax you," he whispered in his ear. When Illumi didn't reply, Hisoka continued. "I can work my mouth pretty well. Or maybe we can finally satisfy both of our-"

"No."

"You don't even know what I was-"

"Yes, I do. My answer is no. We're focusing on finding Killua and Gon."

"So cruel."

"Shut the hell up."

"Aww..."

Illumi took his phone out and dialed in his father's cell phone number and waited. After his father answered, Illumi gave the report in.

"They're not on Zevil Island. We're moving on to Zaban city."

_"Fine."_

He hung up.

Hisoka sighed dramatically. "Another road trip, Illumi dear?" he asked. Illumi nodded. Hisoka flopped down. "But I'm so  _tired,_ " he groaned. When Illumi gave him a blank look, he sighed and got up.

"Alright, alright. Let's go."

~

Silva slammed the phone down angrily. "DAMMIT!!" he screamed. "What is it?" Kikyo asked. Silva got up and stormed out of his and Kikyo's room. Confused, Kikyo followed him. Silva stormed inside the isolation room where Alluka was.

"Silva, what happened?" Kikyo asked.

Kalluto, who never left the isolation room, looked up at his father. Silva sighed through his nose. "They failed to find Killua and his bratty friend." he snarled. "They still have two cities, I wouldn't care too much," Kikyo said.

"I WANT KILLUA FOUND!!!" he roared and glared down at Alluka, who flinched. "D-dad...p-please, don't..." she whimpered. Without warning, Silva kicked Alluka hard in the ribs. "YOU! I SWEAR! FOR EVERYTIME I GET A BAD REPORT FROM ILLUMI, I WILL KICK YOUR ASS!!" he kicked her in the gut. She cried out in pain. "Dad, why..?" she gasped.

"YOU'RE NOT MY SON! YOU WILL NEVER BE FAMILY!! DO YOU KNOW WHY YOU'RE STILL ALIVE?! DO YOU?!?!"

"N-no..!"

"Because, you're the perfect  _bait._ Nothing more! If Killua didn't  _care_ so much, you would be  _dead_!!" he continued kicking her. After a solid 10 minutes, he stopped and stepped back, looking at Alluka as she gasped desperately. "Pathetic piece of shit," he snarled and stormed out. Kikyo followed him out, and Kalluto just leaned back, closing his eyes.

Alluka coughed and threw up blood. She whimpered once she emptied any contents left and curled up in a ball.

"Please help me, big brother. I need you..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Um, I had to look up the Troupe, to make sure I got their names right. I realized that #4 was Kalluto, but he's not there, he's torturing Alluka, and Hisoka obviously isn't in the Troupe anymore, so I had to use Omokage. If you don't know who he is, he was the main antagonist in the movie "The Phantom Rogue" so I guess it worked out okay.  
> (If you haven't seen the movie, you should go watch it! And the other movie "The Last Mission", both are really good!)


	10. Dig a Little Deeper

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leorio learns from Killua that the Phantom Troupe killed Kurapika's clan.  
> Gon is determined to find the Troupe.  
> Killua doesn't want Gon to go, but he tags along.  
> Chrollo is planning to ambush the hospital.  
> Illumi and Hisoka arrive in Zaban city.

 

"That man is the leader of a gang?! And that gang killed Kurapika's clan?!" Leorio shouted.

"Shh! Yes," Killua hissed. All three of them were gathered in Leorio's hotel, both young boys sitting on one bed and Leorio across from them. "Damn. How are we going to tell him?" Leorio asked. Killua and Gon shared an uncomfortable look before looking back at him. "Well, you see, we're kinda hoping you'd be the one to tell him," Gon said shyly. Leorio's jaw dropped. "WHAT?! WHY ME?! DO YOU KNOW HOW DEPRESSED HE'LL GET?! I DON'T WANT TO BE THE ONE TO MAKE HIM CRY!!" Leorio yelled. "Well, yeah, but..." Gon trailed off. "You've known him longer than us," Killua provided.

Leorio groaned and hid his face. "I can't do it. I don't have the heart to. He's already been through so much, I don't want to be the cause of him being in more pain..."

Gon's eyes widened in surprise and Killua's eyes narrowed in anger.

"You...FREAKING IDIOT!!!" Killua screamed. Gon flinched at his tone and Leorio jumped. "Wha-?"

Before Leorio could even finish, Killua punched him directly on his cheek. Leorio yelped in pain and flew back, hitting the wall. "Ow, ow, ow! What the hell?!" Leorio shouted. Killua panted, clenching his fists, his blue eyes cold. "HOW DARE YOU SAY YOU DON'T WANT HIM TO BE IN PAIN!! YOU DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT TO SAY THAT!!" he yelled. Leorio glared at him. "What the hell do you mean by that?!" he demanded. Killua started to lunge, but was quickly held back by Gon.

"Killua! Don't-!"

"Let go of me, Gon! This bastard is such a hypocrite! He needs to get beat the hell up!"

"I know! But that doesn't mean you should do it! Fighting doesn't solve anything!"

"It solves everything!"

"PLEASE STOP IT, KILLUA!! IF YOU CAN'T STOP YOURSELF, THEN DO IT FOR ME!!"

Killua froze.

"Do it for me, Killua. For me, for Kurapika...don't continue hitting him..." Gon buried his face on the back of Killua's shoulder. Killua dropped his fist and sighed through his nose in frustration. He looked back at Gon and gave him a reassuring grin, which Gon soon returned.

They turned to Leorio.

"What the hell did you mean when you said I didn't have the right?" Leorio asked. Killua gritted his teeth and glared, but didn't move, or respond.

"You hurt Kurapika," it was Gon who finally supplied.

"Huh? How?"

"When you broke up with him. He cried. And he was always daydreaming about you, and he'd cry when he thought we wouldn't notice. He really wants you back," Gon explained. "That's bullshit. He chose you two over me! His own boyfriend! Who does that?!"

"He does. Because he cared."

"What?"

"He wants us to have a better future, he's worried about us, he wants us to feel safe and have a home. He didn't mean to kick you out like that," Gon said. "He told me to get out!" Leorio insisted.

"You're such an idiot! He said get out if you couldn't handle it!" Killua snapped, "which, obviously, you couldn't!"

Leorio shut his mouth and glared, which Killua returned.

The air was tense, it was making Gon nervous. He cleared his throat a couple times before both males finally looked at him. Gon shifted around. "Leorio, Killua, I'll be back later," he said. Confusion flitted across Leorio's face but he nodded. Killua, on the other hand, grew instantly suspicious. Before he could question Gon, Gon hurried out the door.

~

Gon didn't walk more than afew feet meters away when he heard Killua run after him. "Hey! What the hell are you planning?" Killua crossed his arms. Gon bit his lip. He knew Killua wouldn't be very happy if he knew what Gon was doing. "I'm not planning anything," he replied. Killua's eyes narrowed. "Liar."

"I'm not lying!"

"Yes you are! You're getting defensive! You only do that when you lie!"

"No I don't!"

"Face it, Gon. You're a terrible liar."

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

"AM NOT!!"

"ARE TOO!!"

They were silent for a minute, both staring at the other in stubborn determination. Killua sighed, opting to pretend to be hurt. He didn't like guilt-tripping Gon, but he was worried, he might do something stupid.

"I thought I was your friend, Gon..."

Gon's brown eyes widened.  _'What? Of course he's my friend! Is he really that hurt because I'm not telling him?!'_

"You are my friend, Killua!"

"But friends tell eachother what they're doing, that's what you told me...so, I must not be that important to you..." he sighed. "This is so depressing."

Gon sank to his knees, lowering his head in guilt. "I'm sorry!" Oh god, did he feel bad. He didn't mean to make Killua feel this way! It took over a year when they first met for Gon to convince him they were friends and he cared!  _'What if he doesn't wanna be my friend anymore?!'_ Gon panicked. He liked Killua. Both as a best friend, and in a way he couldn't explain.

Gon jumped up and tackled Killua in a tight hug, ignoring Killua's yelp of surprise. "I'm sorry Killua! Please don't stop being my friend! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"

He felt Killua's cold hands rubbing his head.

"It's alright, it's fine." Judging from his tone, Gon suspected he was holding back laughter. He pouted and pulled away. Killua tilted his head to the side slightly. "So? Where are you going?" he asked. Gon hesitated before answering in a slow, small voice. "I'm going to find the Phantom Troupe..."

"WHAT?!"

"And fight them..."

"GON!!"

Gon felt like Killua's intense stare was shrinking him. "W-well, th-they need to be taught a lesson...and..."

"And you're not strong enough to do so! A gang of 13 took out an entire clan of 128 people! There's no way in  _hell_ we can take them on by ourselves!"

"We?"

Killua reddened and looked away.

"You're coming with me? Really?" Gon asked, wide-eyed.

"O-of course I am, dummy!" Killua grumbled. Gon grinned at him and tugged his arm. "Well, how about this? We don't fight them, but we can look for them, so when Kurapika gets better, he can fight them," he said. Killua pulled away and crossed his arms. "But how are we gonna know if they're a member of the Phantom Troupe? We only know what Chrollo looks like."

"I don't." Gon pouted. He didn't see what happened in the hospital that morning!

"All the more reason not to look for them."

Gon lowered his head in thought.

"But..." Killua sighed, "I guess we can look up the Phantom Troupe at the library's computers, see who comes up."

"Yeah!" Gon beamed and tugged on Killua. "Let's go!"

~

Killua stumbled when Gon tugged on him. Why would Gon want to fight the Phantom Troupe? It wasn't their battle. "Slow down!"

"Sorry!" Gon slowed down.

Killua grinned. He couldn't believe Gon still falls for his guilt-tripping techniques. He'd been using it ever since they were 10 years old. The first time he used it was to convince him to tell him about Ging, his father who left him. It wasn't that Gon hated talking about it, it was just Gon didn't know much and wasn't sure if what he knew was even worth sharing. Ever since then, Killua started guilt-tripping Gon whenever he knew Gon was hiding something important from him. He really was a terrible liar.

Anyway...

They reached the library, running straight to the computer. The librarian gave Killua a look, making him sweatdrop. This is the second time he was here and he wasn't exactly quiet last time. The librarian probably thought since he brought a friend, they'll both be noisy.

Well, they probably will. Not intentionally though.

Killua quickly typed in  _Phantom Troupe._ Several results popped up, making Gon's eyes widened. "Woah, are they really that popular?" he asked in awe.

"Of course they are. They're wanted for several crimes, and they've been doing it for 10 years," Killua responded, clicking on one of the links for the Wanted images. A list of 13 popped up, each image had their name underneath.

He and Gon scanned through the pictures, before Gon suddenly screamed. He jumped and the librarian shushed him harshly.

"What is it?" Killua whispered. Gon pointed at one of the pictures. "I've seen that girl! The one with the glasses! Remember? 3 months ago, when we first arrived here?!" Gon asked frantically. Killua frowned.

...

_"Run!" Killua hissed at Gon, apples in their hands. Gon nodded and they took off running. They'd just arrived in Yorknew and they were starving. Unfortunately, they were broke. At first, Gon was against the idea of stealing, but his stomach kept growling, so he finally agreed, albeit reluctant._

_"HEY!! STOP!!" the man who owned the stand shouted. Killua and Gon shared a look of fear before running faster. The man started chasing them. Killua made a sudden turn, with Gon following him close behind. They kept making turns, until they finally came across an alley, where they hid behind a dumpster. The man passed them without realizing it._

_They sighed in relief and shared a grin before walking out. Once they were safely away from the busier streets, they fist pumped, and nearly bumped into a girl. They looked up at her. The black haired girl with big glasses stared down at them, blinking, as if she had no idea what happened. She eyed the apples in their arms, then observed the fear in their eyes. She tilted her head to the side._

_"STOP!"_

_The boys jumped and whirled around, gasping. The man who'd been chasing them had finally found them. The man looked furious. "Give those apples back, you rotten little thieves!" he snarled. He took a threatening step forward, but the girl lightly pushed them behind her and walked to the man, taking some yen from her pocket. She dropped it in his hand. "Is this enough for those apples?" she asked calmly. The man stared at it then looked back at her before nodding, dumbfounded. She tilted her head to the side again. "Run along now, I'm sure if you stay away too long, more people might steal your apples," she said. The man's eyes widened and he took off back in the direction of his stand._

_The girl turned to the two trembling boys. "Stealing isn't very nice," she commented. Gon flinched and teared up, looking down. "What do you know?!" Killua snapped._

_"Killua! She just helped us! Don't get angry at her! And she's right, it isn't very nice..." Gon sniffed. Killua sighed, running his free hand through his fluffy white hair. Gon wiped his tears with his sleeve, and looked at her. "Thank you for helping us, mam, we really appreciate it," Gon said gratefully._

_"Yeah...thanks."_

_"It's no problem. Try not to steal again. And if you absolutely need to, then make sure you don't get caught. Not everyone will buy stolen apples," and with that, she waved, and left._

_..._

"OH! It was the girl who bought the apples!" Killua shouted. The librarian shushed him.

Gon nodded. "Yeah! I just...I never expected her to be a criminal...she was so friendly..." he said sadly. Killua rubbed his shoulder, clenching his teeth. "I don't want to fight her, but if we have to one day, then we'll be ready. Right, Gon?"

"...Yeah."

~

"Why is that filthy Kurta alive?" Phinks demanded. "We killed them all, and we made sure we were very thorough," Uvogin added. Chrollo leaned back, an amused smirk at his lips. "He probably wasn't around. Either way, it's surprising. He deserves...an award, for being the sole survivor of his clan."

"Will you be needing my help?" Feitan asked. Chrollo grinned and nodded. He knew Feitan was the master of torture. Even he couldn't compete with him on that.

Feitan hid his own grin. "It's been awhile since I last tortured anybody. So, what are you planning on doing?"

Chrollo eyed his gang, each one of them was watching, waiting. He closed his eyes for a moment before responding. "We are going to ambush the hospital," he answered. "The entire hospital?" Shizuku asked in surprise. "Yes. If we do it just right, we could snatch him. However, if we head straight to his room, it'll be suspicious. We're masters at this."

"And once we capture him..." Uvogin trailed off.

"We'll torture him." Feitan concluded.

Chrollo stood up. "Not right away. We'll need to wait for him to wake up before doing anything else. Machi. Nobunaga. You know what to do?"

Both of them stood. "Yes."

"Good. Then get with it."

~

"Ahh, here we are! Zaban city! Finally, some civilization! Right, Illumi dear?" Hisoka asked, spreading his arms out wide with his creepy smile. Illumi walked past him without a word. Hisoka huffed and followed him. "You do know it's rude to ignore your boyfriend, right?"

"I know."

"Ouch, you hurt me."

"Get over it."

Hisoka clicked his tongue and crossed his arms, pouting. He hated it when Illumi got like this. He wants some fun! And dammit, Illumi is too serious! Hisoka tugged at Illumi's arm. "Come on dear, let's go have some fun," he licked his lips. Illumi shook his head.

"No, we're looking-"

"For Killua and his friend, yes, I know. But you're way too uptight. Being so stiff won't do you any good. Surely they'd even be able to get away even easier. But if you cut loose, you can do things at a much easier pace. How do you think I find you with such ease when you try hiding from me?"

Illumi sighed. "If I say yes, will you please shut up?"

Hisoka grinned. "Sure."

"Liar."

"Guilty as charged."

Illumi ran his hand through his hair and pecked Hisoka's cheek and dragged him off to a nearby hotel to  _relax._

~

As the sky slowly got darker, the moon shined more visibly, beaming through windows all over Yorknew. One window, leading to a plain room, got plenty of moonlight. Though the room remained dark, it was still possible to see everything.

It was silent as a person groaned, stirring. Their head was aching of a harsh headache, and their body throbbing with all sorts of different pains. Some minor, others were more serious. The person knew, without a doubt, where they were, even if they couldn't see. They could hear everything.

And with that, Kurapika's dark eyes opened.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kurapika finally woke up!! :0 Sorry for not including it in the summary, but I wanted it to be a surprise! :D


	11. Fights and Visits

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kurapika struggles to remember what happened and calls Melody.  
> Gon and Killua find Machi and Nobunaga and try to fight them.  
> Leorio looks for Gon and Killua.  
> Machi and Nobunaga flee back to base.  
> Melody, the other bodyguards, and Neon visits Kurapika.  
> Killua, Gon, and Leorio notice Kurapika is finally awake.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Never make Killua angry.

 

Kurapika's eyes wandered the room, eyebrows furrowing in confusion. _'Where am I..?'_ he groaned, rubbing his eyes. Ugh, he had such a headache. He couldn't even rub his head that well, the bandages were in the way.

_'Wait, bandages?'_

Kurapika slowly sat up, clenching his teeth in pain and sank back down some before forcing himself to sit up. His body was throbbing in indescribable pain. He got up and clung to the wall, limping to the bathroom connected to his room. He flicked the light on, wincing at the sudden bright light. When he saw himself in the mirror, he did a double take. His face was white as the sheets on his bed, bandages were wrapped around his head, a large patch on his left cheek, smaller ones littering around. Tired, heavy bags were under his eyes. And the hospital outfit looked too large for him. Did he lose weight?

He swallowed and pulled off the hospital shirt, his eyes widening.

His entire torso was bruised and had ugly scrapes and gashes. One gash on his right side had to have some stitches, but it wasn't terribly bad. He experimentally poked his ribs, regretting it instantly. He hissed at the pain and observed his ribs, it was clear they'd been broken, but they were healing.

Kurapika sighed and left the bathroom, flicking the switch off as he did so. He sat on his bed and looked at his cell phone on the little night stand next to the bed. He picked it up and dialed in a number.

After the third ring, a voice answered.

_"Hello?"_

"Hey Melody..." Kurapika croaked out.

 _"Kurapika! You're okay!"_ Melody gasped, sounding relieved.

"Y-yeah...but what happened..?"

_"You don't remember?"_

"No..."

_"You got hit by a car, while saving a little girl."_

"Is the girl okay?"

 _"Worry about yourself for once,"_ Melody sighed.

When Kurapika didn't answer, Melody spoke up. _"The little girl is fine."_

"That's good to hear..."

_"So, was there a reason you called?"_

"Well..."

~

"Killua!" Gon whispered, hiding behind a tree with Killua. They were searching for the Phantom Troupe's base, and it wasn't easy. It was really dark and cold outside. Killua appeared by him. "What is it, Gon?" he asked. "Look over there," Gon pointed.

On a bench at the park, they saw a pink haired girl and a guy with long black hair.

"That looks like them! Machi and Nobunaga..." Killua whispered. Gon nodded once and ran out from their hiding spot, surprising Killua. "Gon! Wait!" he hissed then groaned and followed him.

"Hey!" Gon shouted at the two Phantom Troupe members. They looked at him, their faces blank.

"What do you want, kid?" Nobunaga asked.

"I want you to turn yourselves into the police!" Gon answered, crossing his arms. Nobunaga and Machi snorted in amusement. "Turn ourselves in? And get the death sentence? No way. It's not happening," he smirked. Gon clenched his fists in anger.

"The Kurta clan!"

"Huh?" They looked surprised.

"The Kurta clan!" Gon repeated. "You murdered them all 5 years ago! You need to pay for that!"

"And how exactly are we going to do that?" Machi asked, yawning. Gon glared at them, his usual kind brown eyes flared with anger. "You'll pay with your lives!"

"Gon! Stop!" Killua grabbed him. "No, Killua! They need to be taught a lesson!" Gon argued.

"Us? Taught be who?  _You_?" Machi laughed. "Watch out Machi, that kid is dangerous," Nobunaga mocked with a smirk. Gon lunged at them, fist ready.

Machi easily dodged and did a flip, landing behind him. Gon leaped to the side before she could grab him. "You're fast for a kid," Machi accused. Gon didn't reply, he only glared in response. They did it, they were the ones who killed Kurapika's clan. And he won't forgive that. Kurapika was his friend, and he'll do anything for him. Especially after all he's done for them. He had to help. He just had to.

Killua glared as Nobunaga unsheathed his sword, holding it out with his blank look. "If you leave now, we'll let you live."

"No way."

"Are you sure? This is your only chance to run. If you don't take it, we're gonna have to kill you."

"Good luck trying, you bastard." Killua was really confident in his fighting ability. His grandpa had trained him when he was younger. He couldn't ever forget how he started his intense training.

...

_"Killua." Killua's grandpa, Zeno, frowned at his young grandson in disapproval. "Why don't you ever fight back?"_

_Little 4 year old Killua sniffled and looked up at him, blue eyes wide and full of tears. "B-because dad is really strong, and so is Illumi. I can never beat them," he whimpered. Zeno shook his head. "No, maybe not, but it is always important to know self-defense. What if you were attacked in the real world? Would you sit there and cry like a little baby? You'd be a huge disappointment and a disgrace the Zoldycks!" he said harshly. Killua flinched and wiped his tears away. "Will you teach me then, grandpa?" he asked._

_"Why should I?"_

_"Because dad would say no and Illumi is too scary...and Milluki..."_

_"Is a fatass."_

_Killua suppressed a giggle. He nodded. Zeno sighed and stood upright. "Very well then. Start by trying to punch me."_

_"Wh-what?" Killua was surprised. Zeno glared at him. "I said start by punching me."_

_"O-okay..." Killua got up, clenching his hands into fists. He lunged. Zeno side stepped him, making Killua punch the wall. His eyes widened and he shook his hand around. "Ow! Ow! Ow!" he gasped at his reddening knuckles. He tried punching Zeno again, only for Zeno to side step him again. Killua bit his lower lip in frustration. Zeno sighed. "Killua, you're not going to punch me."_

_"But why-"_

_"You should go to the gym with me. We'll wake up at the crack of dawn and do a 100 mile run and go straight to the gym where you will exercise all day. You can only have a couple breaks, and they will be only for water. Understand?"_

_"Yes grandpa..."_

_..._

Ever since then, Killua had trained. He trained until he turned 11, where he finally managed to punch Zeno. He was strong as hell, not to mention, he learned afew tricks of his own. A sword didn't scare him. Not when he could manipulate his hand.

"Your funeral then, kid." Nobunaga lunged at him. Killua jumped out of the way, bringing his foot up and slamming it down, aiming to kick his head. Nobunaga reacted quickly, easily jumping out of the way.

Killua's foot slammed in the ground, creating a hole. He leaped back, eyes narrowing.  _'He's allot faster than my grandpa. This could be harder than I thought.'_

Nobunaga turned at him, aiming his sword.

Gon hopped up a tree and jumped off the highest branch, aiming for Machi's head. She looked around before looking up, seeing him come closer. She stepped back and jumped up, doing a flip mid-air and kicking Gon's back harshly, making him gasp and fall, slamming on the ground and coughing. She stood above him and pressed her foot against him. "You foolish boy. Did you honestly believe you could beat me? We're the strongest and most cunning gang in this country. We've been wanted for 10 years and hardly anyone has ever found us. Those who were unlucky and did find us..." she chuckled darkly, "they never got to live to tell about it. You and your friend are no different from them." She started pressing down harder on his back, making him cry out in pain.

"You think I'm afraid to kill a kid? I'm not. Killing doesn't faze any of us. We can kill an entire city and we wouldn't give a damn."

"You're a monster!" Gon choked out. Machi scoffed. "That was uncalled for." She pressed harder, making Gon shout in pain.

"Gon!" Killua diverted his eyes to his friend, eyes widening at the sight. Seeing Gon pinned to the ground getting hurt like that...made Killua snap. His eyes lost their gleam, and he glared fiercely at Machi, who was smirking at the young boy's pain. He sharpened his hand and lunged for her.

"Where do you think  _you're_ going?!" Nobunaga got infront of him, bringing his sword back.

"OUTTA MY WAY!!" Killua screamed, slashing his hand forward, deflecting the blade. He ran at Machi, who turned to him at the very last second in surprise. He slashed at her, but she leaped back. She gasped at the feel of warm liquid on her arm, staring at the gash from her elbow to her wrist in utter shock.

"Machi!" Nobunaga called and turned to Killua. "You bastard!"

Killua flipped him off and helped Gon up. "Are you okay?" he asked. Gon got on his knees, wiping the dirt off his mouth and nodded. "Y-yeah, I-I'm fine..."

Killua's eyes widened as Nobunaga came lunging at them. "WATCH OUT!!" He shoved Gon out of the way and dodged, feeling the very edge of the blade slice through his side. The cut wasn't deep, but it still hurt like hell.

"KILLUA!!!" Gon shouted and ran forward. Killua held a hand out, clenching his teeth. "Stop! Run, you idiot!"

"No!"

"RUN, DAMMIT! GO GET HELP!"

"But, Killua!" Gon teared up. If he left, what if they killed him and fled?! It'd be all for nothing!

"JUST GO!!"

"NO!!"

Killua groaned. He knew Gon was the Master of Stubbornness. Especially when it came to his friends.

Machi ran at Gon, who didn't notice her.

"GON!!!" Killua screamed.

~

"Damn, it's past midnight. Where the hell are they?" Leorio frowned and got up. He had to look for them. He couldn't live with himself if they got killed. Just in case of an emergency and they did need medical attention, Leorio brought his briefcase.

With that, he left.

He searched town, looking through alleys and other various places runaway children could be. He started nearing a park and heard a scream that sounded suspiciously like Gon. He bolted in the direction where the scream came from.

~

Machi had a hold of Gon. She was squeezing his arm, and Gon's eyes were full of pain.

"GON!!" Killua shouted, trying to lunge forward. Nobunaga grabbed the back of his shirt and yanked him over, putting his sword at Killua's throat.

"NO!! STOP!! DON'T KILL HIM!!! PLEASE, HE'S MY BEST FRIEND!!!" Gon screamed.

"Gon! Killua!"

All four of them stopped and turned to the source of the voice.

Leorio was running over, briefcase clutched in his hands.

~

Leorio was in shock at what he saw. A woman with pink hair holding tightly onto Gon, and a man with long hair holding a sword to Killua.

Either way, he got  _pissed._

"Let them go!" he shouted.

To everyone's surprise, Machi and Nobunaga let go. "We need to report this to the boss," Nobunaga said. Machi nodded in agreement and they both ran off.

Leorio knelt down beside Killua, eyes wide. "Killua! Killua, are you okay?" he asked. Killua waved him off. "I'm fine, I'm fine! Go see if Gon's okay!"

Leorio didn't have to move, because Gon walked over himself, limping slightly. "Killua...I'm glad to see you're okay," Gon said in relief.

"Are _you_ alright, Gon?" Leorio asked. Gon nodded and winced. "I'm just abit sore," he admitted. Killua nodded and gasped in pain, clutching his side.

"Killua!" Both Gon and Leorio shouted.

Killua removed his hands, hissing in pain. Blood stained his hands and smeared on his pink shirt. "Shit!" Leorio hissed, yanking his briefcase open and took out some peroxide, cotton balls, and bandages. He all but ripped Killua's shirt off, ignoring Killua's sputters of protest. He cleaned off the wound and quickly yet thoroughly bandaged him.

Killua winced when Leorio made sure it was tightened. He sighed and stood up, picking up Killua's shirt. Killua snatched it out of his hands and slipped it back on.

"Killua, you can't wear that, it's cut up and has bloodstains..."

"I know. It looks pretty heroic, doesn't it?"

"..." Leorio chose not to comment.

~

It was around 9:30 when Melody brought the other bodyguards to Kurapika's hospital room. Kurapika had managed to sit up and lean against his pillows, surprised at how  _relieved_ they all looked.

"It's good to see you awake, kid." Basho grinned. "I'm not that much younger than you," Kurapika mumbled, "besides, I'm your boss."

"A very injured boss." Baise retorted.

"Which means you can't fight back!" Basho teased. When Kurapika gave him his  _look,_ he quickly shut up. "I'll be out of here in no time," Kurapika insisted.

"You should just rest," Melody soothed. Kurapika shook his head. "I don't know where my boys are at, I'd prefer to get out of here so I can make sure they're safe. I don't want them back in the streets," he replied. Melody looked thoughtful. "Maybe we could-"

"KURAPIKA!!!"

Everyone jumped, including Kurapika, as a certain blue haired 16 year old girl shoved past the bodyguards and jumped on the bed, hugging him tightly.

Kurapika let out a quiet 'o _of'_ of surprise and pain. She was hugging him _way_ too tight. "Oh, Kurapika!" she bawled in his scraped up shoulder. Kurapika covered his mouth, wincing. "Um, Miss Neon-"

"Just Neon right now! You're not at work! And you won't be until you're fully recovered!" Neon said sternly, her blue eyes still teary.

Kurapika was too surprised to reply. Wait until he's fully recovered? He can't do that! He has to lead everyone else, what if the mansion gets attacked and he's not there to help? Kurapika couldn't bear the thought of losing another fellow comrade. Not after they lost Dalzollene. When he died, Kurapika was devastated. But he had to quickly suck it up, since everyone started turning to him, asking him what to do, and then nominating him to be the next leader. Kurapika wanted to make sure they're doing their job correctly and protecting Neon.

...Not that he doesn't trust them, of course.

~

Leorio guided Gon and Killua to the emergency room, where Kurapika was. At the door, he heard a slight commotion going on. The trio shared a confused look before opening the door.

The people surrounding the bed turned and stepped aside, and the blue haired girl on Kurapika's bed got off and stepped to the side as well.

Two pairs of brown eyes and blue eyes met gray ones.

It was silent before Gon started smiling, tearing up in joy while Killua's gaze softened. Kurapika stared at Leorio, surprised to see him there.

"Kurapika..." Leorio breathed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Neon needs to chill...I really don't like her, honestly.


	12. Talks and Fires

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leorio, Gon, and Killua reunites Kurapika.  
> Leorio speaks to Kurapika alone.  
> Killua is reluctant to tell Kurapika about the Phantom Troupe.  
> Hisoka and Illumi search Zaban city and get into a little bit of trouble.  
> Chrollo gives out the order to set the hospital on fire.  
> Gon senses something is wrong.  
> The Phantom Troupe burns the hospital and finds Kurapika.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm actually excited for this chapter! I hope you guys enjoy! :D

 

"Kurapika!" Gon ran over happily, with Killua following close behind. Kurapika sweatdropped.  _'Oh no-'_

SLAM.

Both Gon and Killua all but tackled Kurapika in a hug. Kurapika let out an undignified yelp, which was ignored by the two relieved pre-teens.

"Kurapika! You're awake!" Gon cried. Kurapika let out a breathy laugh. "Yeah, I'm awake. Are you both okay? Nothing bad happened the past few days? Who's been taking care of you?" Kurapika asked. Gon giggled and pointed. "It was Leorio! He took us in the day you came here!"

Kurapika looked at Leorio in surprise. He never would've expected that to happen.

His eyes soon trailed to the torn bloodstain on Killua's pink shirt. His gray eyes widened. "What happened?" he asked. Killua looked at his shirt and bit his lip, he seemed quiet for a moment before looking sheepish. "I got into a bit of an accident. Don't worry, Leorio fixed me up."

Kurapika looked at Leorio again, grateful.

Leorio blushed and cleared his throat to get everyone's attention. "I need to talk to Kurapika...alone," he said.

"We were just about to leave anyway," Baise said and winked at Kurapika, mouthing  _good luck._ Basho grinned at him. Their actions made Kurapika blush in embarrassment.

"Aww, but I don't wanna leave now! I wanna stay with Kurapika!" Neon whined. "Miss Neon, you're keeping Huggy the Koala waiting for you in the car," Melody said smoothly. Neon's eyes widened. "I am?!"

When Melody nodded, she all but ran out, making the other bodyguards run after her, calling at her to slow down.

"We barely saw that girl for 5 minutes and I can already feel like she's a handful," Killua said dryly.

"Try working with that everyday for 11 to 12 hours straight," Kurapika replied with a small smile.

"No wonder why you're always so tired!" Gon exclaimed.

"It's especially worse on Kurapika. That girl has a crush on him," Leorio said, hiding his jealousy. Killua smirked at him then looked at Gon, motioning his head to the door. Gon nodded and they both walked out.

~

When the two boys left, it was silent between the two older males.

"Kurapika/Leorio-" They both started and stopped, blushing.

"You first," Kurapika said.

"Er, you sure? You can go first..."

"No, you first."

"Alright..." Leorio fiddled with his white coat, looking at Kurapika directly in the eyes. "Kurapika, I am really sorry for that night. I shouldn't have left you like that. That was wrong of me."

"What...what brought this on?" Kurapika asked, obviously not expecting that.

"Killua punched me."

"Oh," Kurapika laughed lightly.

"Hey! It's not funny! That little punk can really pack a punch!" Leorio insisted, no real venom in his voice. Honestly, he was relieved Kurapika seemed to forgive him.

"I'm sorry too."

"Huh?" It was Leorio's turn to be surprised. "What for?"

"I'm embarrassed at my behavior. You didn't deserve that. I deeply apologize, Leorio."

"Hey, hey, don't get all formal with me!"

"Sorry."

"Don't apologize for that!"

"Sorry."

"Stop apologizing!"

"Sorry."

"Stop apologizing for apologizing!"

"Sorry." The corners of Kurapika's lips quirked upwards. He was definitely doing this on purpose, Leorio noted.

"You dork."

"Ironic coming from you."

"Hey!" Leorio lightly ruffled Kurapika's golden blonde hair affectionately. Kurapika swatted him away and flattened his hair. Leorio grinned at the action. "You're just like a girl," he teased. Kurapika huffed at him. "No, I just prefer to stay neat, unlike  _some_ people." He gave Leorio a look.

"Hey! I'm neat!"

Kurapika started laughing. Leorio pouted. "You're mean," he complained.

"No, you just keep setting yourself up for it."

"So cruel. And here I thought you loved me!"

This only made Kurapika laugh harder. Leorio had to join him. He smiled and pushed some of the blonde's bangs back. "So, this may not be appropriate to ask, but would you be willing to take me back?" he asked softly. Kurapika looked at him, smiled, and took his hands in his.

"Of course I am." He pecked Leoro's cheek, successfully making him blush.

"That's good...Kurapika?"

"Hm?"

"I love you."

Kurapika reddened but smiled lightly. "You idiot."

"Rude."

~

"What do you think they're talking about?" Killua asked as he and Gon walked away. They'll give them the privacy Leorio asked for. "I don't know, but I hope they're making up!"

"Or making out."

"Killua!"

Killua only laughed in response. Gon shook his head, blushing. "You're impossible," he whined. Killua flashed him a grin. "Yeah, but that's fine, you love me for it anyway!"

"Y-yeah," Gon's blush deepened.

Killua wondered why.

"Anyway, Killua?"

"Yeah?" Killua stopped at a candy machine, taking out some coins. He handed Gon some and put them in the machine, choosing a bag of chocolates.

"Um...should we...tell Kurapika? A-about the Phantom Troupe, I mean..." Gon asked nervously.

Killua picked his chocolate up from the machine and paused, stepping back so Gon could put his coins in. His brows wrinkled as he remembered the events that just happened last night.

...

_"Your funeral then, kid." Nobunaga lunged at him. Killua jumped out of the way, bringing his foot up and slamming it down, aiming to kick his head. Nobunaga reacted quickly, easily jumping out of the way._

_Killua's foot slammed in the ground, creating a hole. He leaped back, eyes narrowing._  'He's allot faster than my grandpa. This could be harder than I thought.'

~.~.~

_"You think I'm afraid to kill a kid? I'm not. Killing doesn't faze any of us. We can kill an entire city and we wouldn't give a damn."_

_"You're a monster!" Gon choked out. Machi scoffed. "That was uncalled for." She pressed harder, making Gon shout in pain._

_"Gon!" Killua diverted his eyes to his friend, eyes widening at the sight. Seeing Gon pinned to the ground getting hurt like that...made Killua snap. His eyes lost their gleam, and he glared fiercely at Machi, who was smirking at the young boy's pain. He sharpened his hand and lunged for her._

_"Where do you think_ you're _going?!" Nobunaga got infront of him, bringing his sword back._

_"OUTTA MY WAY!!" Killua screamed, slashing his hand forward, deflecting the blade. He ran at Machi, who turned to him at the very last second in surprise. He slashed at her, but she leaped back._

_~.~.~_

_"WATCH OUT!!" He shoved Gon out of the way and dodged, feeling the very edge of the blade slice through his side. The cut wasn't deep, but it still hurt like hell._

_"KILLUA!!!" Gon shouted and ran forward. Killua held a hand out, clenching his teeth. "Stop! Run, you idiot!"_

_"No!"_

_"RUN, DAMMIT! GO GET HELP!"_

_"But, Killua!" Gon teared up. If he left, what if they killed him and fled?! It'd be all for nothing!_

_"JUST GO!!"_

_"NO!!"_

_Killua groaned. He knew Gon was the Master of Stubbornness. Especially when it came to his friends._

_Machi ran at Gon, who didn't notice her._

_"GON!!!" Killua screamed._

_..._

"I...don't think that's a good idea...we were beaten so easily, and there was two of us..."

"But if we all work together, you, me, Kurapika, and Leorio, we could all defeat them, right?" Gon asked while choosing a wrapped chocolate chip cookie. Killua shook his head. "You're not getting it, Gon. They defeated a clan of 128. They can beat the 4 of us," he explained, opening his bag and popping a chocolate in his mouth. Gon pouted and got his cookie from the machine and unwrapped it. "But Killua, what if we took them out little by little? Like what if it was the 4 of us against that Machi girl and Franklin?"

"Gon, that was Nobunaga."

"Oh."

"Anyway, it's not gonna work. They're still too fast, but on the other hand...it was Kurapika's clan that was annihilated. He does have the right to know..."

"Exactly."

"But..."

...

_"GON!!" Killua shouted, trying to lunge forward. Nobunaga grabbed the back of his shirt and yanked him over, putting his sword at Killua's throat._

_"NO!! STOP!! DON'T KILL HIM!!! PLEASE, HE'S MY BEST FRIEND!!!" Gon screamed._

_..._

Killua shook his head. "It's not a good idea..."

"But you said so yourself! He has the right to know!"

"I know that!"

"Then what's the problem?!"

"My problem is Kurapika is very...temerarious."

"Teme...what?"

"Reckless."

"Oh...what makes you say that?"

"You can't tell?" Killua shook his head. "He just ran out to capture that guy who stole that golden moai. And shoved a little girl out of the way of a car instead of pull her away. He doesn't think about what to do. He just does it."

"But..." Gon didn't know how to reply.

"Maybe we'll tell him when he recovers, that way he won't try to leave while he's still injured.

"...Alright."

~

"Come out, come out, wherever you are~!" Hisoka sang as he skipped around Zaban city, an exhausted Illumi behind him. Illumi knew he shouldn't be walking around, especially since Hisoka was so rough. But he had a job to do. He'd just have to tough it out.

"You said you'd shut up if we had your little fun," Illumi called after him.

Hisoka turned around with a big grin. "And since when have I ever kept my promises, Illumi dear?"

"You're insufferable."

"Thank you~! I try my best!"

...Insults never have worked on Hisoka.

Illumi sighed and followed his redheaded boyfriend. "You really need to grow up," he commented. "And you really need to loosen up," Hisoka countered cheerfully. Illumi rolled his eyes and looked in an alley for his little brother and friend.

"Oh Killuuuuaaaa~! Goooonn~!" Hisoka called, still smiling. Illumi felt his eye twitch. "Hisoka, they're not gonna come out just because you called them. In fact, they'll just run away, since they know we're coming."

Hisoka's gold eyes widened. "You're right Illumi dear! Shame on me!"

Illumi sighed, thinking Hisoka would finally,  _finally_ , shut up. But, much to his dismay, Hisoka only got louder.

"KILLUA~! GON~! I HAVE CANDY FOR YOU~!"

Illumi facepalmed. "They're not 5, Hisoka, they know how to resist."

Hisoka pouted.

Illumi looked around, face blank as people stared at the duo.

Hisoka tapped a random old man on the shoulder, his smile never wavering. "Excuse me, sir, have you seen two little ripe fruits?"

"Wha..?"

"Boys. One of them is 5 feet with spiky black hair and brown eyes, and the other is 5 feet 2 inches with white hair and blue eyes." Illumi elaborated.

The man tensed. "N-no, I haven't..." His gaze averted from them. Illumi instantly knew he was lying.

Hisoka did too.

"Really?" The redhead flipped his deck of cards out. Illumi shook his head. Where did Hisoka even put those?

...Maybe he doesn't want to know.

"Y-yeah, really..."

"Hmm."

Illumi looked at a building, thinking.  _'Okay, they're definitely either here or they headed to Yorknew. But we don't have time to search every inch of this city. Getting this man to talk is our only option. But what..?'_

Hs thoughts were interrupted by a scream.

His head snapped over, seeing the man on his knees, his arms were slowly disappearing, replaced by rose petals that blew away in the wind. Hisoka sighed in fake pity. "Next time, don't lie to someone. It's quite rude."

The man collapsed.

"Hisoka! You idiot! That man was our only clue!" Illumi snapped.

"Hmm? Oh, I doubt that, Illumi dear. We'll find them," Hisoka smiled sweetly.

"YOU TWO! STOP RIGHT THERE!"

Both males turned, seeing 6 cops run after them.

Hisoka licked his lips and held up a card, smirking.

"Hisoka, no. We have a job and this is not part of it." Illumi grabbed Hisoka's arm and took off running. He wasn't afraid of the cops. No, no, he knew he could kill all 6 of them with his hands tied behind his back, blindfolded, and one leg amputated.

Hisoka whined as they ran. "Come on, Illumi! Just the 6 of them? Pleeeease?"

"No, because if you kill those 6, then more will come, and you'll want to kill those ones."

"...Meany."

Illumi sighed and kept running. "You're insufferable."

"I try."

~

Chrollo leaned back as Machi and Nobunaga walked into their base. "Well?" he asked.

"It seemed pretty clear. But boss..." Nobunaga started.

Chrollo raised an eyebrow.

"We ran into 2 kids."

"Oh? And I assume you're here to tell me about how you're sword slayed them both," Chrollo said, uninterested. "No, they're still alive," Nobunaga replied. Chrollo gave him a look of pure disbelief. "Why? Those brats could go tell officials!"

"And does that really matter? We could simply kill them," Omokage piped up.

"That's true, but I'd prefer not to dirty my hands on such weak filth."

"We're not going to relocate to another city, are we? I like it here," Shizuku said softly. Chrollo shook his head. "We're not leaving Yorknew. We still have unfinished business."

"That's right!" Uvogin slammed a fist on a large rock, breaking it. "We still have to get rid of that Kurta guy!"

"But torture him first," Feitan said calmly.

"Boss? Why do you need to torture the Kurta boy, anyway?" Shizuku asked curiously.

"It's a...reward, for escaping our massacre."

"In other words, he's pissed he didn't get them all and wants to torture him for it!" Shalnark said with a smile.

"He could've just said so," she sighed.

"That's not our boss' style." Phinks said.

"We all get turns torturing him, don't we?" Pakunoda asked. "If Feitan is up for it, then sure," Chrollo shrugged.

"If that's a wish everyone else wants, then I'm up for it." Feitan replied calmly. Chrollo stood up and walked closer to the other members. "Everyone, we're leaving tonight." he announced.

"Tonight?" Everyone echoed in surprise. "But what if the Kurta boy isn't awake yet?" Shizuku asked. Chrollo felt the corners of his lips tug upwards. "I have a feeling he will be. Call it instinct," he supplied. "We'll be leaving at 11. Be prepared."

"Yessir!"

~

That night, around 10:45, Gon leaned back on the bed he and Killua were sharing, a troubled look crossing his face. "What is it?" Killua asked, taking a bite of his takeout noodles Leorio bought. "I...don't know. I just...I feel like something...bad is going to happen...like, really bad..."

"What kind of bad?" Leorio asked from the threshold of the bathroom. Gon frowned. "I feel like Kurapika's in trouble."

"Like what kind of trouble?"

"Like...in danger trouble."

"I'm sure you're just worried about him," Leorio said, his head starting to fill with worry. Killua shook his head. "Is your instincts telling you this?"

"Yeah. They're screaming at me to help Kurapika. Now!" Gon hopped off the bed, putting his long green boots on.

"Shit." Killua threw the rest of his noodles in the trash and leaped off the bed too, getting his shoes on. Leorio stared at them in confusion. "What the hell is going on?" he asked. "Gon's instincts are  _never_ wrong. Every single time he feels like something good or bad will happen, he's  _always_ right. And right now, his instincts are screaming at him to help Kurapika. We need to go! We don't know what type of danger is in store for him!" Killua explained, running to the door with Gon.

"You sure?!" Leorio shoved his own shoes on and left his coat and tie off.

"Positive!" Gon yanked the door open and ran out, both males running after him.

 _'Don't worry Kurapika, we're coming!'_ Gon thought.

~

The Phantom Troupe, led by Chrollo himself, stood infront of the hospital that Kurapika was in. Somewhere. He nodded. Bonolenov, Kortopi, Machi, and Shalnark leaped up and started throwing gasoline all around the building as well as on it.

As soon as they finished, they hopped back in place behind Chrollo.

Phinks flicked his lighter out and tossed it at the building.

The reaction was instantaneous.

Flames engulfed the hospital quickly. They heard screams coming from inside and motioned for them to get back. The gang of 13 hid behind several trees nearby. Chrollo stepped forward. "I'm going in alone. Understood?"

"But why?" Uvogin asked.

"Because I want to retrieve that sorry excuse of a human being myself."

"Yessir."

Chrollo walked in the building, hands stuffed in his pockets. Doctors and nurses everywhere were scurrying about, trying to get their patients to safety. Many were rolled out on wheelchairs or stretches, others stumbled out with their doctors. Chrollo shook his head.

_'Pathetic.'_

He walked upstairs to the 3rd floor to the hospital rooms and checked every door until he found who he was looking for.

Kurapika Kurta.

~

Kurapika had been dozing off with a book in his lap one moment, and suddenly the entire hospital was up in flames the next. He jolted and got up too quickly, hissing in pain as his ribs throbbed. He stumbled over to the window, hoping to see if anyone was out there. He didn't see anyone. He turned and started walking.

 _'I've...got to help...other patients...are in danger...I have to protect...them...'_ Kurapika fell to his knees and coughed at the smoke. A piece of the ceiling started to fall. Kurapika scrambled back to avoid getting burnt. The fire was blinding his vision. Never in his life has Kurapika felt so helpless and vulnerable. He didn't like it. He tried getting up, only for his ribs to protest against that.

_'This is it. I'm going to die...I'm actually going to die...Gon, Killua, I'm sorry...Leorio...I'm glad I patched things up with you. I hope you take good care of those boys for me...'_

Kurapika fell to his side, vision blurring. But he noticed in his haze, a figure walking towards him. He coughed and whispered. "Help..."

The last thing he saw was the man's face, and the upside down cross on his forehead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SO I SET THE WORLD ON FIIIIIIRE!!!  
> ...  
> I'm so sorry.  
> ...Also, I never mentioned it, but after Kurapika woke and before Neon and the bodyguard visited, he was relocated to a normal room on the 3rd floor. Sorry, I totally forgot to add that last chapter.


	13. Nothing Good Comes from This

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chrollo tries kidnapping Kurapika.  
> Killua, Gon, and Leorio stop him.  
> Leorio and the others move Kurapika back to his apartment.  
> Gon decides to tell Kurapika the truth.  
> Kurapika is emotionally fucked.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What a long time since my last update! But I've been busy, since I just got a job and all. And school is right around the corner, so I'll be able to update a hella lot less.

 

Chrollo picked the smaller blonde up, staring at his unconscious form. He shook his head.  _'That was too easy. And he's supposed to be the Head of the Nostrade Bodyguards. What a laugh.'_

Chrollo strolled out the door, somehow not getting burnt.

Just as he was about to descend down the stairs to the 2nd floor, three people arrived at the foot of the stairs. Chrollo stopped in surprise. He knew these guys. It was Leorio, Kurapika's lover, and Gon and Killua, the boys Kurapika took in.

_'They must be here to save their friend. They can go ahead and try, but I will not guarantee their lives.'_

~

"Killua! Leorio! Look! The hospital! It's on fire!" Gon shouted and sped up. Killua and Leorio ran after him, ignoring any fireman who tried to stop them, and dodged every flaming debris that fell from the ceiling.

"He got moved upstairs, right?" Gon shouted. Leorio could barely nod and cough. Inhaling smoke was dangerous.

Gon dashed upstairs, stopping at the base of the stairs that led to the 3rd floor. He froze the instant he saw the black haired man holding a familiar blonde, who was unconscious.

"Kurapika!" Gon shouted.

"Chrollo!" Killua snarled next to him.

"It's you!" Leorio coughed, glaring at the man.

Chrollo raised an eyebrow. "Oh, hello Leorio. Gon. Killua." he greeted calmly, as if he wasn't outnumbered and at a disadvantage. "Give Kurapika back you bastard!" Gon yelled, clenching his fists. There was no way in hell he was letting this man take away his friend!

"Why should I do that?"

"He's our friend!"

"And he's the last Kurta survivor," a smile crossed Chrollo's face. "And he deserves every ounce of pain that's coming to him."

"You better not lay a finger on him!" It was Leorio who shouted this time.

"His clan died fairly quickly. Only the ones who fought back died brutally. I think since he's the survivor, he deserves the worst possible death. I believe it's Feitan whose gonna be torturing him. We're all eager to listen to his screams of pain, his agony, and his begs for mercy."

"Kurapika would never bow his head and plead for his life for someone like  _you_!" Killua spat.

"Heh. We'll see about that," Chrollo's smile turned to something darker, more sinister. "If you want him back, you should try taking him from me," he taunted. "We WILL take him from you!" Gon shouted and without hesitation, he lunged up the stairs.

"IDIOT! WAIT!" Killua shouted and ran after him. Chrollo easily side stepped Gon and gave a swift kick to his gut. Gon gasped and coughed and was flung across the burning room.

"GON!" Killua shouted, before turning to Leorio. "Go get Gon! I'll get Kurapika!"

"You honestly believe you can touch me?" Chrollo didn't stop Leorio from rushing over to Gon. He kept his eyes on the white haired 12 year old, who was standing firmly on the ground.

_'I don't stand a chance against him. He's obviously much stronger than I am. Much stronger than all of us put together. I need to think of a way to get Kurapika back, at least...what do I do though?!'_

"If you plan on attacking me, you may as well do it now. I don't have the time or patience to deal with you," Chrollo said smoothly.

_'He's not even batting an eye!'_

Killua's gaze met with Gon's from behind Chrollo. They both stared at eachother before Gon nodded.

Killua bolted to the right, and Gon bolted to the opposite direction. They bounced off the walls and passed by eachother various times, going around and over Chrollo in attempt to confuse him.

Chrollo started to walk forward.

_'Okay, now!'_

Killua grabbed Chrollo's coat while Gon swung Kurapika out of his hands, leaping off to the side and skidding back, clutching his taller blonde friend close and grinned.

Chrollo blinked in surprise. "Well, that was certainly unexpected," he leaned forward to Killua, who fought back the urge to flinch.

"How would you like to join the Phantom Troupe?"

Killua's blue eyes widened in disbelief before narrowing in anger.

"You honestly think I'd join you?! Don't make me laugh you damn bastard! I'd never join the organization who killed my friend's clan!"

"Are you sure? This is a once in a lifetime opportunity. If you don't accept, I'll have to kill you."

"I'm dead sure."

"Suit yourself." Chrollo easily pinned him down, holding his neck. Killua gasped, eyes widening as he struggled. He couldn't breathe. He couldn't move. He was helpless. He was really going to die, wasn't he? He squeezed his eyes shut.

"KILLUAAA!"

Chrollo turned around, noticing Gon running at him, full speed. He aimed to kick him, but then darted to the side at the last second...just as Leorio threw his knife. Chrollo dodged it.

As he dodged it, Gon shoved him off of his best friend and yanked him away, hugging him tightly as Killua coughed, gasping desperately for air.

Chrollo looked both impressed and pissed off.

"You know what?" He dodged some of the burning wood easily. "I'll just settle this for a more...appropriate time. But know this, the next time we meet...it'll be the last." Chrollo warned and jumped out the window.

"HOLD IT!" Gon started to lunge forward. Killua wrapped his arms around Gon. "Don't go you idiot! We don't have a chance in hell against him!" he shouted.

"But-!"

"We need to get Kurapika out of here, remember?!"

"Oh! Shit!" Both boys ran to where Leorio cradled Kurapika in his arms. "We need to get out of here!" Leorio yelled, heaving Kurapika on his back. Both Killua and Gon nodded, and ran downstairs and right out the door.

~

Leorio honestly believes tonight was one of the scariest nights he's ever had. From seeing the hospital on fire, to his love nearly getting kidnapped, to the kids nearly dying, to barely making it out of the burning building.

Yep, he definitely had a heart attack.

And was that a gray hair?

As soon as they got outside, he started coughing. Gon bent over and coughed, while Killua coughed in his arm.

They were damn lucky they didn't get smoke inhalation.

"Dr. Paladiknight!" Leorio's coworker, Dr. Morel Mackernasey, ran over. The giant man stopped infront of them. Though his eyes were covered by his sunglasses, Leorio already knew he was wide-eyed.

"I'm...fine...just...water!" he croaked out. Morel looked around and reached for his bag, getting a single water bottle out and handing it to him.

Leorio took it and opened it, greedily gulping nearly half of it down before handing it to Gon. Gon drank half of what was left and handed it to Killua, who swallowed the rest of it, panting when he finished.

"Better?" Morel asked.

The three males nodded.

"You guys should go get cleaned up, you're completely covered in soot," Morel advised. Leorio nodded and glanced over at the boys. Gon and Killua's clothes were darkened from the soot, as were their faces and Killua's hair. Leorio knew he didn't look any better.

"Come on, we'll take Kurapika home," he said to the boys, who nodded, and then they were off.

"Take it easy!" Morel called after them.

Once they reached Kurapika's apartment, number 404, Leorio fished out a spare key.

"You have a key too, Mr. Leorio? You never gave it back?" Gon questioned. "No, I've always kept it, in case Kurapika ever got in trouble and I wasn't home, and couldn't get in. I guess not having the key, even when we broke up, was just uncomfortable," Leorio replied, blushing slightly as he unlocked the door.

They all walked in, and he set Kurapika on the couch and stood upright. "I've gotta go back to my hotel, to shower and change. I'll be back," he said, walking out.

"Bye Leorio!" The boys called as he closed the door behind him.

~

"I'm gonna go wash up," Killua said. Gon nodded and sat by Kurapika. "Just hurry back, okay?"

"Okay." Killua rushed to the bathroom area.

Gon sighed and turned his attention to the blonde. He swiped his bangs out of his face, but they fell back. Gon looked down, clutching Kurapika's cold hands. "I'm glad...we made it in time to save you," he whispered. He held Kurapika's hand close to his chest, bottom lip quivering. He hoped Kurapika would wake up again soon. He didn't think he could handle seeing him unconscious for another minute. "Kurapika..." his eyes wavered.

Gon doesn't know how long he sat there, holding Kurapika's hand, but he heard Killua clear his throat. He turned, seeing Killua wearing a long sleeved black shirt and purple pants. "Bathroom is all yours," he said.

Gon nodded and let go of Kurapika, walking to the bathroom area. He tossed his clothes next to Killua's and washed himself up.

When he finished, he got out and dressed in his green shorts and a brown tank top.

When he came back, Killua was washing Kurapika's face with a rag. "Ah, Gon, do you think we should clean off Kurapika?" he asked. Gon blinked before blushing at the very thought...then felt ashamed.

Gon has seen Killua naked a bunch of times in the past, even bathed with him sometimes. This shouldn't faze him, they're all guys.

_All very gay guys._

Gon blinked those thoughts away and nodded at Killua. They carried him to the bathroom and removed his hospital outfit and placed him in the tub, both averting their eyes from certain spots.

After they cleaned him from all the soot, Killua dried him off while Gon went to grab one of Kurapika's  _many_ white shirts and  _many_ white pants.

Jeez, Kurapika needed more color. His tabard was the only color he actually wears.

Gon and Killua both dressed Kurapika and laid him on the big bed. They sat down and watched, until they heard a  _click_ and the sound of the door opening. They turned, instantly on guard, but relaxed upon seeing it was just Leorio. Leorio wore his pants, shoes, and a white button up shirt, like earlier.

"He hasn't woken up yet?"

"No." Gon answered.

Leorio sighed and sat at the foot of the bed.

They all stared at different places. Leorio at the window, Killua at the wall, and Gon at Kurapika, taking in his features. They sat there for hours, not moving an inch.

Gon then noticed Kurapika stirred. He jerked.

"Leorio! Kurapika moved!"

"What?!" Both Leorio and Killua turned to Kurapika.

"Kurapika!" Leorio said urgently.

"Kurapika!" Gon echoed.

Dark eyes fluttered open and he sighed, blinking in obvious surprise. "Gon? Killua? Leorio?"

"It's us," Killua assured him. "You're all here...Leorio, what happened..?" he asked, brows furrowing. "There was a fire, and we saved you from it," Leorio replied, leaving out the fact Kurapika was nearly kidnapped. "I see," Kurapika said softly and slowly sat up, grunting and gasping in pain as he tried. He sank down slightly, clutching his side.

"Be careful!" Leorio rushed to him and helped him sit upright against the pillows. "You're still not fully healed! You're bones could get even more broken then they already are!"

"There was a man..." Kurapika said slowly. Gon bit his lip. Did Kurapika remember anything? He certainly hoped not.

As he, Killua, and Leorio waited for Kurapika to continue, Kurapika fidgeted, as if trying to remember clearly. "Yes...he had an upside down cross on his forehead. And he wore lots of black, I remember...do you guys...know him, by any chance?"

Gon shared a look with the other two, who both reluctantly nodded. Better to tell him now than later.

"Kurapika," Gon said gently, biting his lip when Kurapika turned in his direction. "What I'm about to tell you isn't easy to say, so please listen and don't freak out, okay?"

~

"Okay..." Kurapika had no idea what he was getting himself into. He was nervous and curious, to say the least. Gon, Killua, and Leorio looked...grim. Like they didn't want to tell him anything.

"Th-that man, um...his name is Chrollo..."

"I recognize that name. He's the leader of the Phantom Troupe," Kurapika realized and nodded, frowning. "What could he have wanted with me?"

"This is where the hard part starts..." Gon licked his lips nervously and looked at Leorio pleadingly. He obviously couldn't bear telling Kurapika the news. Killua looked away while Leorio stuttered protests. Finally, Leorio gave in, looking at Kurapika with the most serious expression he's ever seen. Now Kurapika was suspicious...and scared, to be honest. He knew Chrollo was horrible, but what could he have done that was so bad?

"Kurapika, remember your clan?"

Kurapika froze.

 _'Did he really just ask that..?'_ Sadness shot through him but he nodded. Leorio took a deep breath before speaking quietly.

"Back then..."

_'Don't say what I think you're gonna say...'_

"It was the Phantom Troupe..."

_'Don't say it...'_

"Who mass murdered..."

_'Leorio, please, don't say it...'_

"Your clan."

_'...So it's true...'_

Kurapika swallowed a heavy lump in his throat, and he lowered his head. He felt his eyes start to burn. Hatred spiked in his heart, and he clenched his fists tightly together, remembering. He remembered how messed up the Elder looked, his mom, his dad, Pairo...he gritted his teeth, his anger slowly rising more and more.

"H-hey, Kurapika?"

"..."

"Are you okay?" Gon asked.

"..."

"Kurapika..?" Killua spoke.

"...I will kill them."

"Huh?!" All three of the other males gasped in unison, staring at the blonde haired Kurta in shock. "Are you serious?!" Leorio demanded.

Kurapika slowly rose his head. He knew his eyes were burning scarlet. His breathing was heavy and heart erratic.

Leorio gulped and stepped back, bringing Gon and Killua with him.

"I'm dead serious. I swear, I will avenge my brethren. I will never forgive them for what they've done," Kurapika said in a low, dangerous voice. "T-try to relax," Leorio said weakly. Kurapika turned his sharp gaze to him. "RELAX?! Leorio, you just told me that the Phantom Troupe murdered my family! My clan! Everything! And you want me to  _relax_?!" He was shaking in rage now. "K-Kurapika...you're eyes..." Gon breathed.

"His eyes turn red when he's angry," Leorio muttered to him. Killua bit his lip.

Kurapika threw the covers off to the side and slowly tried getting up. "What are you doing?! You need to rest!" Leorio tried moving him back, but Kurapika swatted his hand away. "Kurapika, please lay back down! You'll hurt yourself more!" Gon pleaded. "You wouldn't be able to find their hideout anyway," Killua added. They watched as Kurapika breathed heavily, clenching and unclenching his fists, lowering his head.

"...I need to study more on the Phantom Troupe. I just want to go to the library to read up on them," he said calmly. "Kurapika, it's 4 in the morning, the library is closed. Get some rest," Leorio tried. Kurapika shook his head. "I'll just camp outside until it opens!" he said stubbornly.

"Kurapika..."

"I swear on my life as a Kurtan..." Kurapika rose his head, his eyes, while still red, were soulless, devoid of any emotion.

"I will utterly annihilate them."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh shit got real. Kurapika's pissed! He's ready to kill a bitch! O_O try to calm down there, Kurapika...


	14. Thoughts and Promises

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alluka thinks about Killua.  
> Kurapika researches the Phantom Troupe.  
> Melody tries to help Kurapika.  
> Leorio and the kids investigate the hospital remains.  
> Gon tries to think of ways to get stronger.  
> Killua considers every possibility of getting Alluka back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahh! I apologize for the wait! But I've been super busy! School just started and I have a job...it's just so stressful! But I promise, in my free time, I am thinking of ideas!!  
> Enjoy!

 

Alluka sat in the isolation room, her eye was swollen and face bloodied and bruised. There was also a warm spot on the back of her head that she suspected had been blood when she fell on the floor. Her body throbbed and ached. She knew she had several broken ribs and her arms were barely held together. She didn't know how long she could last.

_'Where are you, Killua?'_

She let out a tiny whimper, followed by a sniff. She missed her big brother. He was her best friend in the entire family. The only one who cared for her. Just like she was the only one who cared for him. In their family, anyway.

...Alluka wanted a friend. She wanted a friend like Gon. Someone who would stick up for her, and play with her when Killua couldn't. Sadly, that was impossible. She was hardly ever able to leave the house. Even Killua got to leave more often. And he was abused the most. Between the two of them, Alluka considered herself lucky. Killua was always hit, while she was always ignored. Well, until Killua ran away. He left her alone, which resulted in her getting abused. She hated it. She hated the fact her parents wanted to kill her, but instead kept her alive, opting to torture her. Simply because Killua ran off to who even knows where.

More than anything, Alluka wants to be angry at him for leaving her behind. She wanted to be able to insult him. She wanted to hate him. But she couldn't. She couldn't find it in her heart to be mad or even think any less of him.

She loved him too much.

So she curled up in a tiny ball, thinking of him.

...

_"Big brother! Big brother! Look, look!" Little Alluka ran over to Killua, arms outstretched towards him with a big smile on her face. Younger Killua turned to face his little sister and beamed down at her. "What is it?" he asked as she held her tiny fists up. "Choose a hand!" she commanded._

_Killua thought for a moment before having her open her left hand. She giggled and opened it, revealing a pretty stone. His eyes widened as she dropped it in his hand with a giggle. "Here! I found it! Isn't it pretty?" she bounced up and down. "Yeah, it's pretty. That's why you should have it, Alluka," Killua said softly. She pouted, bottom lip trembling. "But I want big brother to have it!" she whined. Killua, unable to say no to such a face, gripped it tightly in his hand. "Alright, Alluka. I'll keep it, just don't start crying, okay?"_

_"Okay." Alluka smiled slightly._

_..._

Alluka wondered if Killua took that stone with him. She rubbed her bruised arm, thinking back to when he introduced her to his best friend, Gon. She'd felt many emotions that day.

Jealousy. He was _her_ brother.

Happiness. He didn't have to stay cooped up inside all day, like her.

Sadness. He won't pat her head until they're alone.

Infatuation. She had a tiny crush on Gon for a year or two, but got over it upon seeing Killua had feelings for him, whether he realized it or not.

...

_"Hey! Alluka! Come here for abit!" Killua called from front yard of their home. Alluka padded downstairs and opened the door and smiled. "Hi big brother!" she greeted cheerfully. She waddled over and paused, upon seeing another boy with her. He had big brown eyes and a bright smile, his black hair spiked up. "Big brother? Who's this?" she questioned. Killua grinned abit. "This is my friend, Gon. I met him last year, at the park. He's my best friend!"_

_"O-oh, really?" Alluka couldn't quite keep the tremble out of her voice. Was this Gon boy a replacement of her?_

_"And Gon, this is Alluka...the best sister in the entire world!!"_

_"Hi, Alluka!" Gon held a hand out. Alluka blinked but took it and shook his hand. His hand was warm, she realized, feeling her cheeks heat up slightly. Gon tilted his head to the side in confusion. "Are you okay? You're face is all red! Are you running a fever?!" He looked worried._

_Alluka shook her head._

_Killua tugged Gon's arm. "Come on, Gon. It's time for you to go home. I'll walk you there!"_

_"Kay. Bye, Alluka!"_

_"Bye bye."_

_..._

Alluka squeezed her eyes shut. God, she missed Killua so much.

_'I wanna see you again, big brother...'_

_~_

Kurapika had ditched the safety of his apartment to go to the library later that day. Leorio, Gon, and Killua were all out. So now was his only chance. Before he left, he'd made a quick call to Melody.

_"Hello?"_

"Melody? It's me."

_"Oh, Kurapika! Are you alright?! We all heard what happened earlier! You're not hurt, are you?"_

Kurapika smiled slightly. "No, I'm not injured."

_"That's a relief."_

"Yeah. Melody? I have a favor to ask of you."

_"Yes?"_

"I'm going to the library. I want you to come with me."

_"The library? What for?"_

"I'll give you the details later. Can you meet me there?"

_"Yes, I'll go tell Baise I'm taking the rest of the day off."_

"Alright. Thank you." Kurapika hung up and got dressed in his white outfit, Chinese styled flats, and his blue and gold tabard. He glanced in the mirror to make sure not a hair was out of place. He was still quite pale, and the bags under his eyes didn't do him any justice. He looked sick. But he felt fine. He shook his head and grabbed his bag, slinging it on his shoulder before walking out the door, closing and locking it behind him. He didn't waste a minute heading to the library.

When he got there, Melody was already waiting for him. "Kurapika!"

Kurapika allowed a small smile. "Good morning, Melody."

"You don't look so good," Melody said softly, "maybe you should just get some rest." Kurapika just shook his head. "No, I'm fine, I look worse than I feel," Kurapika reassured her. Melody looked like he didn't believe him, but she nodded anyway. No point in arguing. He'd never admit if he felt bad.

"So what do you need me for?" she asked instead. Kurapika bit his lip. A habit he was into when he was younger. "I found out from Leorio, Gon, and Killua, that...the Phantom Troupe...massacred my clan...so I'm going to do more research on them."

Melody's eyes widened. "But Kurapika, they're the most vicious gang in the country! You'll get killed if you go after them!"

Kurapika felt his lips tug upwards. "I appreciate your concern, Melody. But I promise, I won't die by the hands of monsters like them."

"You can't make those types of promises! It could still happen!"

"Melody," Kurapika looked her in the eye. "Death isn't among my fears. The only thing I fear now...is that my rage will fade over time." His eyes flashed red momentarily. Melody made a small noise akin to fear but kept composure. Kurapika shot her a questioning look, but she ignored it. He frowned and walked inside the library.

Once inside, he sat at one of the desks, quickly typing up  _'The Phantom Troupe'._ He read over the same article Killua had. His expression went from serious, to something darker, more furious. "Damn..." he started to tremble.

_'It really is true. Those bastards really did murder my clan.'_

"Those...damn..." he clenched his fists so tight his nails dug into his palm and began to bleed. He gritted his teeth and quickly typed in  _'Chrollo Lucilfer'._ He scanned through several articles.

"Kurapika, you can get into the mafia's system and do some deeper research on Chrollo," Melody reminded him softly. He was a bodyguard for one of the richest people in the world, and had direct contact with the mafia. He, being the Nostrade Bodyguard Leader, had a passcode for this type of stuff.

Kurapika just nodded and typed the mafia's URL, waiting until a little box popped up, asking for identification and his personal passcode.

Kurapika has never typed as quick as he did. The first article spoke of Chrollo's past and the reason why he became a criminal.

 

**Chrollo Lucilfer, age 26, was born November 11th of 1985. Back in 1997, Chrollo, now age 12, ran away from home due to neglect and abuse. Mr. and Mrs. Lucilfer were drug addicts who constantly ditched work for sex with other people. They preferred to earn money by being prostitutes instead of the respectable jobs they already had. When they got home, they were always drunk or high, resulting in the abuse of their only child. On the rare occasion they weren't either drunk, or high, they'd always ignore Chrollo and his needs and put him to work, cleaning the house and always made snide remarks about him. After Chrollo ran away, Mr. and Mrs. Lucilfer didn't notice for weeks, and never reported for their missing runaway child. For the next 4 years, Chrollo survived on his own, until he started talking to some really shady people and eventually, in March of 2001, he and other crooks started committing crimes. With each crime committed, they'd leave behind a large spider print with 12 legs and write _'The Phantom Troupe'._ Many people who have managed to find the Phantom Troupe has never returned alive. With each dead body sent back, a note would be attached to them, stating  _'we are always in the shadows, lying in wait. And if you find us, we will attack you in our own web.'_**

**It is still a mystery why the now-extinct Kurta clan was targeted by the notorious gang.**

 

"That...damn..! Does he really think such a sad childhood could justify his actions?!" Kurapika shouted, slamming a hand down.

"Kurapika!"

~

Melody was shocked and horrified. Both at Chrollo's past, and Kurapika's reaction to it. Sure, his past doesn't justify his actions, but Kurapika's heart was beating rapidly in a tune of rage and hatred. "Kurapika! Stop! Please!" she begged, covering her ears. "Your heart is making an awful sound, I can't stand hearing it anymore!"

She heard Kurapika take a deep, shaky breath, as if trying to calm himself. His heart slowed slightly, but it still pounded loudly. "I'm going to kill them," Kurapika said in a low tone. "I will kill them all. I will never forgive them for what they've done to my clan."

"Kurapika..." Melody was saddened. She missed the old Kurapika, the one who wasn't vengeful and full of hatred. The one who was practically emotionless, but could crack a smile on the rare occasion. The one dating Dr. Leorio Paladiknight, the one who found 2 children and took them in and cared for them, fretting like a mother would.

Kurapika rubbed his temples. He was getting a headache from all this bullshit.

Everything was happening too fast. One moment he was with the boys, walking to work as usual, then he vaguely remembers pushing a girl out of the way, only to get hit by a car, he was unconscious for days, he wakes up and gets bombarded by his friends, coworkers and boss, then when he was reading, the hospital caught on fire, he was almost  _kidnapped,_ then he gets told that the Phantom Troupe murdered his clan.

Yep. Definitely a shitty week for him.

Melody honestly wished she brought her flute with her.

~

Leorio stood with abunch of other doctors as well as Gon and Killua in the remains of what used to be the hospital. Leorio got on his knees and searched for anything that could've caused it. He doubted, in all this rubble, he'd find anything. The hospital had been 6 stories high.

"Leorio!"

Leorio glanced up, seeing Gon sniffing the air before rushing to the edges and got on his hands and knees.

"What is it?" he walked over to the raven haired boy. Gon touched the ground. "Gasoline! Right here!"

Leorio knelt down and touched the ground as well. "I don't feel anything," he frowned and sniffed the air. "I don't smell anything either."

"I have a really sharp sense of smell. And how could you not feel it?" Gon frowned.

Leorio opened his mouth to speak but was interrupted.

"Gon! Old man!"

"What is it?"

"I'm not old!"

Killua ran over, holding a green lighter in his pale hand. "Look what I found," he said.

"So they lit the hospital on fire with gasoline and a lighter," Gon said. Killua nodded. Leorio stared at them. "You two are like detectives, I swear," he muttered and ran his hand through his hair. "I need to talk to the others about this. I'll tell them you smelled gasoline, Gon, and Killua, hand me that lighter."

Killua tossed it to him.

Leorio caught it and turned. "I don't know how long it'll take. It may even take me until late tonight. So go and do your own thing for now, alright?"

"Okay." Both boys replied.

Leorio walked to Morel and afew other doctors. Morel turned to him. "Did you find anything, Leorio?" he asked. "Not me. Gon told me he smelled gasoline over there, and Killua found a lighter," Leorio held the small object up. Morel furrowed his brows. "So someone lit the hospital on fire from a lighter and gasoline. Who did it, is the question..."

_The Phantom Troupe._

Leorio wanted to tell him everything. He  _wanted_ to tell them about Chrollo and the rest, but something in his gut told him to keep it a secret. And if there's one thing Leorio trusted, it was his gut.

"Do you think someone from Sunrise Mental Institution? The one south of us? There was someone who believed they were a pyro there," one of the doctors said thoughtfully.

 _'Don't go around blaming innocent people!'_ Leorio wanted to scream. Instead, like the others, he shrugged.

This was going to be a long day.

~

Gon left the hospital remains with Killua, brows furrowed. He  _knew_ he smelled gasoline, and Killua had found a lighter. How the hospital burnt down with such small things was unimaginable to the simple boy.

Then there was the fight with Chrollo...

...

_"We WILL take him from you!" Gon shouted and without hesitation, he lunged up the stairs. "IDIOT! WAIT!" Killua shouted and ran after him. Chrollo easily side stepped Gon and gave a swift kick to his gut. Gon gasped and coughed and was flung across the burning room._

_..._

He was knocked down so easily. Just like that. Like he was just a mere fly that needed to be swatted away.

Not to mention, Killua seemed frozen in place. His eyes had been swimming in emotions.

Fear? Maybe.

Anger? Definitely.

Worry? Yes.

He'd never seen such an expression on his friend's face, and honestly, he didn't like it. He didn't like any of the expressions Killua made when they were in trouble. Like their fight against Nobunaga and Machi.

...

_"Gon!" Killua diverted his eyes to his friend, eyes widening at the sight. His eyes lost their gleam, and he glared fiercely at Machi, who was smirking at the young boy's pain. He sharpened his hand and lunged for her._

_"Where do you think_ you're _going?!" Nobunaga got infront of him, bringing his sword back._

_"OUTTA MY WAY!!" Killua screamed, slashing his hand forward, deflecting the blade. He ran at Machi, who turned to him at the very last second in surprise. He slashed at her, but she leaped back. She gasped at the feel of warm liquid on her arm, staring at the gash from her elbow to her wrist in utter shock._

_..._

It'd almost looked like...Killua was a deadly assassin for a moment. 

He shook his head. They were so  _powerless_ against the Phantom Troupe. It made him furious. They had to get stronger. He crossed his arms, wrinkling his brows in thought. A normal gym wouldn't work. It'd take months, hell, maybe even years to catch up to them at that rate. There had to be  _something._

But what?

"Gon? What're you thinking about?" Killua asked. Gon blinked and looked at his concerned friend.

"I'm trying to think about how to get stronger. But I can't think of anything. It's hard. They're way more experienced than us and way older."

"I doubt we could ever reach their level," Killua said bluntly. Gon flinched slightly. "But there has to be a way! They need to know what they did was wrong, and the only way to have them know that, is if we beat them in a fight!"

"Gon, you're not getting what I'm saying," Killua said quietly. When Gon didn't answer, Killua continued. "I mean they get stronger everyday, they're adults, and we're not even teenagers yet. Whatever we learn, they'll already know. I doubt even Kurapika could beat them..."

"Don't say that, Killua..."

Killua shrugged. "It's the truth. I'm sorry, Gon, but I don't know. And not to mention, we still have to hide from my brother and Hisoka. And save Alluka..." he paused. "We are still going to save her...right..?"

"Of course we are." Gon bit his lower lip. Right. He'd ran away with Killua and at the time, their biggest issue was being found by the two and saving Alluka. Now, they're involved in Kurapika's problems, about his clan getting mass murdered by the infamous gang the Phantom Troupe.

Gon buried his face in his hands. He wasn't sure how much more he could take.

Killua rubbed his shoulder in an awkward attempt to comfort him. "We'll think of something. For now, let's head back to Kurapika's apartment. He's probably awake by now."

Gon only nodded in response.

~

Killua was so stressed. Like Gon, he wasn't sure how much he could take. All of this happened in the span of a single week.

He let his mind wander. He missed Alluka so much. What could they do, though?

He saw 5 possibilities.

1\. They leave Yorknew and storm his mansion and find her.

2\. They leave Yorknew and sneak in.

3\. They gather Kurapika and Leorio and sneak in.

4\. They gather Kurapika and Leorio and storm in.

5\. Call the cops.

Nope. Nope. Nope. Nope. Negative.

Storming the mansion would be suicide, even with Kurapika and Leorio. And sneaking in would be impossible. They had security cameras everywhere. Milluki was on watch of the security cameras 24/7.

And the cops? Well, they believe he's a runaway child. They'd never listen to him. And he'd be in deeper shit than he already was in. He and Gon both.

He regretted getting Gon involved.

If only he wasn't so insistent about going to the playground that one day.

If only he never told Gon where he lived.

If only he never knew where Gon lived.

If only he'd been born in a normal, loving family.

If only-

A noise nearby stopped both boys. They froze, tensing slightly. Who was following them? Was it a Troupe member? Killua doubted it. He didn't know much about them other than what he read, but he could tell they were more careful than that.

"Come on out!" Killua shouted, "I dare you!"

"Killua!"

Killua picked up a rock and threw it at the bush with all his strength. There was a sharp cry of pain and a curse. "Who's there?" Gon asked. Killua picked up another rock and threw it. He heard a rustle and the rock slammed against a tree with a very loud  _thud._ Killua picked another one up. "I swear I will come over there and beat you up with this rock if you don't show yourself!! I'm giving you 3 seconds! 1, 2-"

"Wait! I swear I don't mean any harm!" Someone fumbled out of the bush, holding their hands up. It was a boy, shorter than Gon. Killua didn't lower the rock. "Who are you, and why are you following us?" he asked. "I...I overheard you t-talking about needing to get stronger, so I followed you. I was going to surprise you but you found me before I could..."

"And who are you, exactly?" Killua asked blankly. The boy offered a smile.

"My name is Zushi!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chrollo's past? Made up. His birthday? I only read theories on it and chose one of them randomly.  
> And Zushi has made an appearance! I'll let you guys think about what happens next! ;3


	15. Test to Nen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gon and Killua meet Wing.  
> Wing agrees to teach them nen if they pass a test.  
> Kurapika goes to the outskirts of town into the forest to visit his old master.  
> Leorio tries to figure out where the Phantom Troupe base is.  
> Killua and Gon take the test.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! I am soooooooo sorry for the delay!!! I've been focusing on school, work, and other sorts of problems! But I finally found the time to update! I hope you enjoy! :D

 

"Why do you care?"

"Huh?"

"Why do you care if we get stronger or not?" Killua repeated. Zushi fidgeted. "Well, uh..."

"If you want to fight, I'd recommend you not. I'm very strong."

"Well, so am I, but that's not-"

"I can kick your ass any day!"

"Killua!" Gon admonished before turning to Zushi. "Is there really a way to get stronger?" he asked. Zushi nodded quickly. "Yes, my teacher, Wing, is going to teach me soon, so I thought maybe you both would like to join me?"

"Not on your life/That sounds great!" Killua and Gon said at the same time. They glared at eachother. "Killua, we need to do this, it could be the only way to save Alluka," he pointed out. Killua flinched and then clenched his fists tightly together.

"Please, Killua?" Gon gave him his best puppy eyes he could muster.

"Argh! Alright! Just stop looking at me like that!"

"Yay!" Gon smiled and grabbed his wrist then looked at Zushi. "Lead the way!"

"Alright. It's this way," Zushi lead them off in a different direction to his teacher's place.

When they got there, it was quiet. Zushi knocked on the door. It took a moment before the door opened by itself. All three boys blinked in confusion. "Hello? Mr. Wing?" Gon called.

Silence was his only response.

"Maybe he isn't-"

Out of nowhere, something was thrown at them.

Zushi jumped out of the way, while Gon ducked and Killua caught it. It was a ball.

"I'm impressed you caught that. I used all of my strength to throw that," a man said, walking out of the shadows. His shirt was half tucked in and he wore big glasses. He smiled in a friendly way. "My name is Wing. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Hi! I'm Gon! And this is my friend Killua!" Gon chirped with a smile. Wing nodded and observed them. "I see," he said. Gon cleared his throat. "So, um, Zushi told us there's a way to get stronger? A special way that you're going to teach him?"

Wing shot a look at Zushi. "I told you to keep it a secret."

"But they-!"

"Zushi, I'm not going to accept the fact you disobeyed me. As of now, I won't-"

"Please don't be mad at him, Mr. Wing! We really appreciate the fact he told us, and we want to know more! We have to! We need to!"

"Why?" Wing rose a brow at him.

Gon hesitated, looking at Killua. Killua only shrugged and nodded once. Gon turned back to Wing.

"We need your help..."

~

Wing had to bite his tongue to keep from saying  _fine, I'll help you._

Those eyes Gon was giving him were hard to say no to. Instead, he cleared his throat. "Why do you need my help? I don't just go around accepting pupils, you have to have two things. 1, a reason. And 2, strength in both body and mind."

Gon groaned. "But Mr. Wing, I'm not good at using my head."

Wing sighed.

"But we do have a reason," Killua said quietly.

"And that reason is?" Wing couldn't wait to hear this one.

"I have a sister," Killua said. He looked uncomfortable, Wing noted. This wasn't something he told many people. Probably only Gon. He doesn't look like the type to have many friends. Wing waited for him to continue.

"I'll start from the beginning. You see, I met Gon years ago. And we were friends since then...and he found out that my parents...abuse me. My sister was the only one at home who cared. Who didn't hurt me physically or verbally. She was my only friend at home...but earlier this year, I was hurt worse than ever. I was tired of it, so I ran away. I was done. It didn't occur to me until afew weeks later that I left my little sister behind. I left her in the hands of my family. I just know she's getting hurt as we speak. I left her there and she's getting hurt because of me! I can't forgive myself for that. But I can't just go home and get her. My family is incredibly strong. I'd never get to her. But if there is a possibility of getting stronger, then I want to learn it! I want to know...so I can save Alluka!" A tiny tear pricked his eye, but he didn't let it fall. Gon squeezed his shoulder lightly.

Wing fell silent. He's never heard of a reason like this. All the other reasons have been a ridiculous  _I want to win the Heavens Arena tournament!_ And other things like that. But this was totally different. Both of their eyes shined in determination. The pair of brown and blue eyes stared at him, as if ready to argue if he said no. Those eyes...they reminded him of someone back when he was a kid. Of himself. When he wanted so desperately to learn nen himself.

"...Alright."

Their eyes widened. "What? Really?" Gon asked.

"Yes, I will teach you...the art of nen."

"Nen?"

"Mhm. But before I do, you must pass a test."

"A test?" Gon gulped. Killua's eyes narrowed. "What kind of test?"

Wing's glasses shone, hiding his eyes. "A test...of strength!"

It was Zushi who spoke up this time. "A test of strength?"

"Yes. I want you both to fight Zushi."

"What?!" All three shouted. Gon in shock, Killua in annoyance, and Zushi in horror.

"Well?"

"W-wait, them both fight me at once, or one at a time?" Zushi asked nervously. Wing smiled at him. "Don't worry, it'll be one on one." He turned back to Gon and Killua. "Do you accept?"

They shared a look.

"Yes!"

"Good. Then let's get to it."

~

Kurapika separated from Melody after they finished their research at the library. He walked off in the opposite direction she was going, clenching his fists. He had to speak to his old master, the one who taught him nen, Mizuken. He lived out in the forest, only occasionally coming to town. Kurapika knew exactly where to find him.

So he walked for the next 2 hours, stopping once he saw his old master. He was laying down, arms folded behind his head, his eyes closed.

Kurapika said nothing.

Moments later, Mizuken finally spoke. "Kurapika. Long time, no see."

"It's been awhile, hasn't it?"

"A whole 6 months." Mizuken got up and faced him. "What brings you here this time?"

"You've taught me the basis of nen. I learned I was a conjurer. For the longest time, I wondered, what do I conjure? What can I conjure that would be useful? And now, I know."

"And your idea?"

"Chains."

"Chains? What for?"

Kurapika's eyes narrowed. "Because there is an evil that needs to be chained down to hell."

"I see, but it sounds like you're just chaining yourself down."

"What do you know?!" Kurapika snapped, turning on his heels. "I knew it would be pointless to ask for your help," he stormed off.

"Hey! Wait! Kurapika! Conjuring normal chains is useless! And unbreakable chains are impossible!" He sighed when Kurapika ignored him. "You haven't changed abit. You're still stubborn as a mule. Listen, conjuring unbreakable chains is impossible...but it is possible to conjure something similar to it."

"Really?!" Kurapika whirled around.

"Yeah, you only hear what you want to hear," Mizuken grumbled.

"What do I need to do, Master?"

"Oh yeah, NOW he calls me master!" Mizuken scowled. Kurapika clenched his teeth.

He sighed. "A condition and a condition."

"A condition and a condition?" Kurapika repeated.

"Yes, you create a condition, or a rule, you may say. And be prepared to always follow it. The stricter the rule, the stronger your nen becomes. Your strength will increase dramatically."

"I want unbreakable chains for the Phantom Troupe. I will only use my chains on them."

"That's a little weak."

"You're getting ahead of me. That's just the beginning."

"So what's your rule then?"

Kurapika could feel his eyes burn. "I will put my life on it."

Mizuken looked shocked and abit fearful. "Kurapika, your eyes...they're...your aura...quick! Let's try the Water Divination again!" He rushed off to grab the glass cup and filled it with water and set the leaf down in it. He looked at Kurapika with a deathly serious look. "Give it a try."

"I already know my nen. This isn't necessary." Kurapika replied. "Just do it!" Mizuken snapped urgently.

Kurapika sighed and faced the glass of water.

~

"So what time did the fire start?" Leorio asked a patient. They'd moved all patients to an empty hotel.

"It was around 11:15, I think. I was watching tv and it just...happened."

"I see," Leorio closed his eyes. Gon, Killua, and himself had arrived at the hospital at 11:20, so the hospital had been burning for 5 minutes before they had arrived. It would have definitely given the Phantom Troupe time to flee. But that was the question. Had they fled? He didn't see them when they arrived. But it was also possible they were hidden well. Really, they were the Phantom Troupe. They were skilled at anything dirty, hiding must have not been a problem. So his first idea was to search the burnt down hospital area. Maybe he'd find some sort of clue they were there.

"Thank you for your help," Leorio stood up.

"Wait, you're leaving me alone? What if this hotel catches on fire?" The man asked fearfully.

Leorio remembered when Chrollo held Kurapika, that sinister look in his eyes. He gave the man a reassuring smile. "I honestly don't think the hotel will catch on fire. Don't worry, I'll send Dr. Morel down here, alright?"

"...Alright..."

Leorio waved at his patient and stalked off, brows furrowed in thought.

"Leorio!"

Leorio turned in time to see Morel rushing over. "Where are you going?" he asked. "I'm just investigating the hospital fire incident. I may have a lead," Leorio replied. "Then I'll come with you."

"No."

"No?"

"No. Besides, patient 101 needs you. He's pretty scared right now."

Morel sighed and put a large hand on Leorio's shoulder. "Just be careful then. We never know what, or who, lurks there."

_The Phantom Troupe._

Leorio nodded though. "I'll keep that in mind," he humored him.

So he left Morel alone to deal with the feared patient.

As he walked back, he stuffed his hands in his pockets. He wondered what Gon and Killua were doing. And wondered if Kurapika was still resting.

Leorio nearly snorted at the thought. Kurapika? Resting? Yeah right.

At least all he'd be doing is research, right?

He hoped so anyway.

When he got to the remains of the hospital, he searched the area, going behind trees and even climbed afew. There wasn't even a hint that they were there. A thought then occurred to Leorio. What if Chrollo came alone?

He nearly smacked his face in frustration. He sighed and glared at the ground, swearing under his breath until something shiny caught his eye. He bent over and picked it up. It was a gold ear ring. If he recalled correctly, when he had done his own little research, one of the Phantom Troupe members wore gold ear rings.

He was definitely on to something. Now the only problem was to find out which way to go.

~

"We'll do it!" Gon agreed happily. Killua sighed and crossed his arms behind his head. "Man, this sucks. This is gonna be so boring," he complained. He knew he was going to win. So why did he have to fight Zushi?

Zushi, on the other hand, was freaking out. He could tell they were both stronger than him.

"Okay, let's step outside," Wing led the trio out back.

Once they were outside, Wing sent Zushi to one side, and Gon and Killua to the other. He approached them. "So who's going first?" he asked.

"Me! I will!" Gon rose a hand with a bright smile.

Killua sighed and jammed his fists in his purple pockets. Gon looked at him curiously. "What's wrong, Killua? Did you want to go first?" he asked. Killua shook his head and gave Gon a smirk. "Go easy on him, Gon."

Gon beamed and nodded, facing Zushi's direction.

Zushi gulped.

Wing walked to the middle of them. "The only way to win is to knock your opponent down. You can not knock them out or anything else! Now...begin!" He stepped back. Gon narrowed his eyes slightly. Zushi's eyebrows went down, a serious look crossing his face. Killua yawned and closed his eyes.  _'Why does he look so serious? He's gonna lose anyway.'_

A loud SMACK then resounded the area, followed by a small gasp. Killua recognized that gasp. It was Gon's.

His eyes opened, surprised to see Gon afew feet back from where he'd been standing, holding his cheek. His cheek was bruising slightly. Killua's brow twitched. "Gon! Just finish him already so I can fight him! I wanna get this over with!" Killua shouted. Gon turned to him and blinked. "Oh, right!" He turned back and rushed at Zushi with great speed, then he pushed him, knocking Zushi to the ground.

"I win!" Gon grinned, holding 2 fingers up and skipped back over.

"You let him hit you," Killua said in a flat tone. Gon smiled sheepishly. "Yeah, well, I kinda felt bad for him, I mean he should get at least one hit in, right?"

Zushi's eyes widened. Gon had  _let_ him punch his face? And he wasn't even fazed by it?

"Well, it's my turn then." Killua uncrossed his arms and walked to where Gon had stood before the fight. "Just so you know," he called lazily to Zushi, who looked up at him as he got up. "I'm not as nice as Gon is. And I am also stronger. So you might as well just give up."

Zushi paled but shook his head vehemently.

"Alright. Begin!" Wing called.

Killua walked towards him. Zushi aimed to punch, but Killua was suddenly behind him, chopping the back of his neck. Zushi gasped and started to fall forward, but caught himself at the last second. He turned to face Killua, who looked surprised.

_'That was definitely strong enough to knock him down, but weak enough to keep him conscious...maybe I just held back too much.'_

Zushi started to punch rapidly.

Killua side stepped all of them before appearing behind him and chopping the back of his neck again, but harder.  _'That should do it.'_

But Zushi didn't collapse. He only stumbled and caught himself on the gate that surrounded the back of Wing's home before turning again.

Killua's eyes narrowed.  _'Tsk. So the same moves don't work on him? Not bad. But he's still no match for me.'_

Zushi then changed his stance, his face turning darker. There was something familiar about the aura Zushi was giving off. Where had he felt it before?

...

_"Killua," a voice said to the young 11 year old boy. "You don't deserve to have friends." A shadow stepped over him, making him step back in fear. "But...I...I won't ever hurt Gon!" he shouted. "You will betray him in the end. Or he will betray you. Whichever comes first. He doesn't like you, Killua. No one does."_

_"You're wrong!" Killua shouted in anguish._

_"I'm not. I am never wrong." A dark aura spiked dangerously, and the shadow faded, revealing the voice to be Illumi._

_..._

Killua's eyes widened in shock and fear.  _'It's just like Illumi!'_ He jumped back, shaking. Zushi took a step towards him.

"ZUSHI!!" Wing shouted, glaring angrily at him. Zushi froze and looked at him. Wing's face held anger and disappointment. He waved a hand. "Battle's over. Killua, you won by default. Wait here, I have to have a word with Zushi." He grabbed Zushi's arm and pulled him inside, not gently, but not forcefully. He closed the door behind him.

Killua stayed frozen in place, blue eyes wavering.

"Killua!" Gon ran over and stopped infront of him, shaking his shoulders slightly. "G-Gon..."

"What happened? This isn't like you! And you look pale!" Gon leaned forward, pressing his forehead to his and pulling away a moment later with a frown. Killua shook his head. "I'm not sick, Gon...it's just..."

"Was he too strong?"

"No, as you know, I couldn't knock him down. I only could if he gets knocked out in the process. But he does have potential."

"So what's the problem? You just jumped back and you look like you saw a ghost!" Gon said worriedly.

"When Zushi changed his stance, something darker was coming from him. Maybe it was some sort of technique or something. But..."

"But?" Gon prompted.

Killua swallowed and took a deep, shaky breath, slowly calming down.

"It felt allot like Illumi."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there we go! Yes, Kurapika's master is named Mizuken, I looked it up!


	16. Awakening Potential

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Killua talks about Illumi.  
> Wing teaches the boys nen.  
> Kurapika struggles to learn how to conjure chains.  
> Hisoka and Illumi continue searching Zaban city.  
> Gon and Killua learn their nen types.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been awhile...and yeah, I admit it, I had to rewatch the some scenes I found on youtube to get this precise...I'm sorry! But I watched this like in March and it's November!! It's been 8 months! I don't remember much of this arc! The most I remembered was Gon punching Hisoka!!  
> *sighs* Shutting up. Enjoy!

 

"About Illumi? What do you mean?" Gon asked, startled. Killua hung his head. "I can't really describe it. It just gave me the vibes..." he said quietly.

"Should we talk to Wing about it?" Gon asked.

"I guess so."

The two boys walked to the door and heard Wing scolding Zushi from inside. They paused to listen.

"Zushi, I have told you several times-"

"I know! I'm so sorry, Master!" they heard Zushi wail.

"You should never cheat your way to victory. It's disgraceful."

"Ch-cheat? But, they were just so strong, I had to-"

"That's cheating, Zushi. They have no idea how to do that. And you should know better than to do that when I said not to."

"But you didn't-"

"I told you specifically before, until you fully master nen, do not use it. That means in these practice matches."

Silence, then Zushi spoke in a very small voice. "I'm sorry, Master."

Silence, then a sigh. "What am I going to do with you?"

"I'm really sorry, Master..."

"I'm going to go get Gon and Killua now, and explain what happened."

Gon and Killua quickly leaped back, not wanting to get caught eavesdropping.

Wing stepped out. "Gon. Killua. Come inside. We need to talk." Both boys hesitated then followed him in, sitting on the couch near Zushi, who had his head hung in shame. Wing sat on the chair across from them. "Gon, Killua, as you know, Zushi went against my orders."

"What orders/You knew we were listening?" Killua and Gon asked at the same time. Killua nudged Gon. Wing smirked. "Yes. I could feel your aura."

"Aura?" Gon repeated, brows furrowed.

"The basis of nen is your aura." Wing walked up to a board. "There are 6 different categories of nen. Enhancers are able to strengthen objects. Emitters can propel their aura. Transmuters can alter their aura's qualities. Conjurers are able to manifest their aura. Manipulators can use their aura to control objects and creatures. Specialists are those with a special aura that doesn't fall with the other 5 classes. You see, you have to find the power that suits you," he explained.

"Power that suits you?" Gon repeated.

"You have your natural potential to potential refined later in life. From the moment of birth, you fall into one of the 6 categories. If you try to learn an ability not in your inclination, it'll be very difficult," he started drawing on the board before stepping to the side. "This hexagon depicts the relation among the 6 categories. The closer a class is to your own, the easier it is to master. For example, if you were born as an enhancer, then enhancer abilities will be easiest. Transmuter and Emitter will be easy to learn and master as well. But for a specialist, then you have no chance of learning it. Well? Do you all understand?"

"Yep!" Gon and Zushi said at once.

"Given that...is there any way to know what category we fall into?" Killua asked, thinking about Illumi. Illumi must be a Manipulator, right? He was sure of it. And Illumi knows this too. But how, was the question.

"Yes, there is," Wing replied with a smile and walked out, filling a glass cup with water and putting a leaf on top of it.

"The Water Divination."

~

"Kurapika...you..." Mizuken breathed. Kurapika stared at him, his eyes never fading from their scarlet color. "I'm what?" he questioned.

"When your eyes are scarlet...I was right...Kurapika. When your eyes are scarlet, I think you become a specialist."

"A specialist..? How? I thought that the aura of a specialist doesn't fall into any of the categories."

"Well, it doesn't, but that's why. As a specialist, you can fully master all of the other categories, since it is different. You can become a full enhancer, emitter, manipulator..."

"Well..." Kurapika's eyes faded back to gray. "I want to completely master conjuring before anything else. And that's what I plan on doing."

"Right. You wanted to conjure chains."

"Yes."

"It's going to be difficult, creating metal from your aura," Mizuken pointed out.

"But not impossible," Kurapika argued.

"No, not impossible, but it could take months, possibly even years."

"I don't have that amount of time. I have a busy schedule."

"I hope rest is taking up that 'busy schedule' of yours."

"No."

"Kurapika, you look like shit. What even happened?"

Kurapika sighed. "Long story short, I saved a girl from a car."

"Jeez...you always were reckless," Mizuken scratched the back of his neck and shook his head. "Whatever. I'll be here if you need me. Go focus on turning your aura into chains."

"Of course." Kurapika walked off to a nearby cliff infront of a waterfall, pushing his hair behind his ears and held his hands out infront of him, taking a deep breath and slowly releasing it. His mind narrowed to his aura, staring at his hands as he focused. He stood there for nearly 3 hours before hearing Mizuken walk up behind him. "You're still doing it?"

Kurapika didn't answer. He ignored him so he wouldn't break too much focus.

"You should eat. It's unhealthy to go too long without eating. You've gotten too skinny."

Silence.

"Damn, you're stubborn," Mizuken shook his head and stalked off to go start a fire and cook some fish.

Kurapika's brows furrowed in concentration, beads of sweat breaking out on his forehead. He stayed as still as possible for the next 20 minutes, before gasping and collapsing on his hands and knees, gasping as if he'd ran a marathon. _'Damn, this is harder than I expected...'_ Nevertheless, he stood up to try again. He reached out to the water and cupped them, accepting the tiny bit of water in his palms before splashing his sweaty face with it. He shook his head abit and took a very deep breath, holding it for a couple seconds, then released it. He did this a couple more times before holding his hands out in their previous place, narrowing his eyes. _'I swear I will do this. I will gain the power I need. I refuse to fail.'_

He began to focus again, only to be interrupted not even a minute later. "Kurapika. You need to eat. It'll help you focus more. Your aura can weaken on an empty stomach," Mizuken said.

"..." Kurapika didn't want to admit Mizuken was right, and he _was_ pretty hungry. So, instead of giving in and agreeing, he decided to snap. "I'm not gonna eat! I don't need to!"

Yep. Definitely one of Kurapika's smartest moments.

"If you aren't gonna eat, then at least drink some water to stay hydrated!" Mizuken snapped back. Honestly! His student was so stubborn!

"I don't need water either!" Kurapika's normally rational mind was gone, he was focused solely on what he was doing. Mizuken's brow twitched in agitation. "You're being foolish, Kurapika. Stop acting like a child."

"I need to do this! You don't understand! Nobody does!"

"WHAT don't I understand?!"

"THE PHANTOM TROUPE MURDERED MY CLAN!!!"

Mizuken paused, before whispering. "What..?"

"You heard me," Kurapika said harshly, "the Phantom Troupe murdered my family. They need to atone with their lives."

"Kurapika...you're...avenging your clan?"

"Yes. I can still hear their screams of fear and pain."

"You can't!"

"Why not?!" Kurapika finally spun around, glaring at his master with fury, his eyes flashing scarlet.

"Because revenge won't do you any good. Do you really think you can get that type of blood on your hands?! You're not prepared to kill-"

"Then I'll get prepared!"

"You don't get it, Kurapika! The pain and regret will haunt you for the rest of your life. You would never live it down. You could have nightmares about it. Plus the Phantom Troupe is a Class A bounty. Even if you _did_ manage to kill one, you'd-!"

"I don't care! They murdered 128 people. My home. My family. My _clan_ is gone because of them! They need to pay for this!" Kurapika fumed, eyes burning scarlet. Mizuken's own eyes narrowed. "You truly are naive. You have no idea...what you're getting yourself into. You appeared to have forgotten. I have blood on my hands as well. And even though it was to save this country, I still regret all of the lives I took."

"The Phantom Troupe don't care about who they hurt or kill, though. They need to be punished for that."

"Killing is wrong, either way!"

"I don't care! I _will_ avenge my clan! If you won't at least _try_ to understand, I'm leaving!"

And with that, Mizuken slapped him across the face.

~

"Illumiiiii! I'm so booooored! Those boys aren't coming outtt!" Hisoka whined. "Keep searching. It's very possible they are here."

"But we'd be able to feel them if they are, can't we just goooo?"

"They've been gone for months. By now, I wouldn't be surprised if they learned zetsu."

"Really?" Hisoka's eyes gleamed as he licked his lips, a malicious grin etching across his face. "How delightful. I can't wait to see how strong they've gotten...oh no..." His aura darkened. "I'm getting all tingly now...I must...calm myself..."

Illumi shook his head with a sigh. "When _aren't_ you 'tingly'?"

"Touche, love."

Illumi grimaced. "Don't call me that. It's revolting."

Hisoka sighed before perking up, skipping out of the alley he and Illumi were in. Illumi closed his eyes. He knew what Hisoka was gonna do. And in that state, he won't try to stop him. He was sure he could fight Hisoka and win, but it was best to stay out of that trouble. Plus, he was his boyfriend. He still didn't know how, or even why. It just happened. Sometimes he regretted being with the creepy magician, and other times, he intrigued him. He was so dark, but so playful at the same time. He was a killer, like him. So why wasn't he hiding his emotions? Why did he get so turned on just at the _thought_ of battle and killing? It was so strange. Maybe that's why he stuck around, Hisoka seemed to be the exact opposite, but totally the same as him.

He heard Hisoka chuckle and held up three fingers. He dropped one, then another, then the final one, and pointed in the direction Hisoka and the poor man were.

The man screamed.

Hisoka walked back with that shitty smile. "Well, it was better than nothing."

Illumi rolled his eyes and walked to the other side of the alley and hopped over the wired fence with ease. Hisoka followed him, humming a happy tune.

What a freak. Just like him.

~

"The Water...Divination?" Gon repeated, brows furrowed. What did that even mean? Wing nodded. "Yes. Here, I'll show you," he walked to his kitchen, grabbed a glass and came back to the living room, setting it on the table before getting a pitcher of water and pouring it to the very top, then put a leaf on top. "There. Gon, would you like to go first?"

"Yeah!" Gon beamed. "Alright, now what you do is use ren, and the result will reveal your category. For example..." Wing held his arms out to the glass and used ren. A moment later, the water started moving upwards, then began to overflow.

"It's overflowing!" Gon's eyes widened in shock. Was this Wing's nen?

"If the amount of water changes, you're an enhancer. Alright, Gon, your turn."

Gon stood infront of the glass and focused on using ren. Moments later, the glass began to overflow, like Wing's did. Gon's eyes gleamed in excitement.

Zushi was next. He did the same thing Gon did, but instead of water flowing, the leaf started to move. Zushi's eyes widened. "The leaf moved!"

Wing smiled at his little student. "Well, that just means you're a manipulator."

"Alright! I'm last!" Killua clasped his hands together in excitement before holding his arms out, using ren.

A minute went by, and all three boys frowned. Nothing was happening. Killua turned to Wing in confusion. "Do I not have any potential?" He asked with a shamed sweatdrop. Wing shook his head. "Taste the water."

"Taste it?" Killua repeated. Gon, Killua, and Zushi each dipped a finger in the glass, eyes widening. "It's sweet!" Gon exclaimed. What was Killua? Not an enhancer or manipulator, so what could he be? Gon's slow mind couldn't figure it out.

"This is just water, right Wing?" Gon asked. "Indeed it is. But the taste changed because of Killua's aura."

"Meaning..?" Killua urged.

"It means Killua is a transmuter."

"Woah!" Gon and Zushi turned to Killua, who grinned proudly. "A transmuter, huh? Not bad at all!"

Wing smiled at the young boys amazement. "Well, now you know what your nen type is. I want you boys to start practicing more."

"I wonder if Kurapika knows nen!" Gon said to Killua. Killua nodded. "Probably, I just wonder what type of nen he has!"

"Maybe he's an enhancer since he's so strong!"

"That'd be cool!"

"Hey! Did you boys not hear what I said?!" Wing snapped. Both boys jumped and did a very quick bow. "Sorry, sir!" Gon said, ashamed of his own actions. He didn't like disobeying adults. Killua, however, only apologized because Wing taught him nen. Call it a favor for favor.

"Now, as I was saying, try to practice more on it later. Come by when you've improved enough to impress me. Understood?"

"Yes!" They both said in unison, determination flaring in the honey brown and ice blue eyes.

They couldn't wait until they got home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *coughs* Um, yeah, I made a 1999 reference here. We never saw the extent of Kurapika's training in the 2011 version, but there's like a whole episode dedicated to him training with Mizuken in the 1999 version. I don't remember which one it was exactly. But I do remember it was one of the episodes in the 40s. It was pretty cool! Hope yall don't mind! :D


	17. Moving Forward

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leorio comes home and finds everyone gone.  
> Chrollo wants to break Kurapika.  
> Gon unintentionally learns zetsu.  
> Zushi questions Wing.  
> Kurapika struggles to conjure chains.  
> Kalluto leaves to take care of something.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yo! So now that it's Thanksgiving break, and I only work 3 days this week, I may be able to update more! Yay! I hope you guys enjoy!

 

Leorio trudged home, yawning. He'd spent the entire day trying to investigate where the Phantom Troupe's base may be at. He couldn't find a single hint. He shook his head.  _ 'What was I even thinking? I'm a doctor, not a detective.'  _ He yawned. He needed a nice hot bath, some good food, and sleep. He would get back to his patients tomorrow and try to think of a way to lure them out. He doubted he could, but it was worth a shot, right?

Nope.

He wouldn't be able to do it. And besides, even if he had a  _ remote chance  _ of doing so...then what? He, Gon, and Killua had no chance against them. And in Kurapika's condition, neither would he.

Another issue was if the Phantom Troupe came out by themselves and found them. They would be defenseless; completely helpless.

They were trapped in the spider web.

Leorio groaned as he stuck a key in room 404 of Kurapika's apartment. He opened the door, half expecting to hear Gon and Killua, but heard nothing. He blinked. Maybe they were asleep?

He set his briefcase down and walked around. Kitchen was empty, as if it hadn't even been touched. The bathroom was empty and clean, save for the towels on the floor. And the bedroom was empty,with the bed not even properly made. He groaned. Kurapika, Gon, and Killua weren't home. He grabbed his phone and dialed in Kurapika's number. A moment later, he heard a ringtone. He spun around and saw Kurapika's phone on the dresser. He'd left it there. He ended the call and clutched his phone tightly in agitation. "Dammit, Kurapika! I told you to stay in bed this morning!" he shouted and flopped on the couch in the living room.

He'll wait for Kurapika to get home.

And Gon and Killua. Why weren't they watching over him?

Seriously, now he felt like the responsible one watching over everyone. Now he understood Kurapika's frustration.

~

"But boss, why did you let those brats take the Kurta boy?" Phinks asked. "Yeah, I mean, one of us is strong enough to beat all three of them with one hand. So why would you just let them take off with him?" Omokage asked.

Chrollo leaned back with an easy smirk. "You two aren't thinking things through."

"Are we going the long way on this one?" Pakunoda asked, crossing her legs.

"Sounds like we're gonna be messing with them for awhile," Shalnark remarked.

"Why can't we just kill them all or something, boss? I'm itching for someone to kill," Uvogin complained.

"When aren't you itching to kill?" Machi sighed.

"We need patience. Surely the boss has something planned," Feitan said. Everyone looked at Chrollo, whose eyes were closed.

"Yes. And it's going to be big," he said without opening his eyes.

"I can't wait," Uvogin chuckled. He hated how the blonde Kurta kept getting away. And how they had to stand back and watch. He wanted Kurapika to suffer. Suffer like the rest of the Kurta clan had. He remembered they'd put up one hell of a fight. They were strong when their eyes were scarlet, and that thought alone excited him. How strong would this Kurta be?

"And what about the 2 brats and the idiot?" Machi asked, crossing her legs.

"They were weak," Nobunaga scoffed. "They don't have a chance against us. Remember?"

"I know that, I'm just asking what are we going to do about them? They've seen us and the boss."

"That doesn't mean they know where we're at," Phinks pointed out. Personally, he didn't care about them. They could live or die and it wouldn't affect him.

"That's not really what we're worried about," Shizuku said.

"Then what is it?"

"Boss? What do you think we should do?" Feitan asked.

Once again, everyone went silent and looked over at Chrollo.

He opened his eyes and spoke in his normal quiet tone.

"We kill them."

~

"So how exactly does this work?" Gon asked as he stopped at a nearby park on the way home. "What? The nen?" Killua asked, stopping as well. Gon nodded. "Mhm! Yeah! I mean, I'm not exactly 100% sure how this works..."

Killua sighed. "Weren't you listening to a thing he was saying? Nen is something that has to be practiced. When we've improved, we can go back and talk to him."

"But how can I practice something when I don't know how to start?" Gon whined. Killua leaned against a tree. "Beats me. I guess we'll just have to figure it out."

Gon bit his lip, struggling to focus.  _ 'I have to focus on enhancing myself. That shouldn't be too hard. If Mr. Wing could do it, so can I!'  _ he closed his eyes, taking deep breaths. Killua watched him, arms crossed. Other than Gon's deep breaths, it was silent. He didn't dare try to break Gon's concentration. He knew once Gon was like this, it was best to just keep quiet. Not because he was scared of Gon's anger or anything, he just wanted to see how far Gon could get. As much as Killua hates to admit it, he seemed to be figuring it out before him.

But instead of feeling anything rise, he felt something...decrease. He stared at Gon to make sure he wasn't walking away or anything. He was still in place.

"O-oi! Gon! Stop!"

Gon opened his eyes, and that feel disappeared. "What's wrong, Killua?" he asked. Killua stared at him. "You don't know what you were doing?" he asked. Gon stared at him, sinking into thought.

_ 'All I was doing was focusing on my nen...that's what I was doing, right? So why is Killua looking at me like that? Like he'd just seen a ghost? Did I do something wrong? Am I giving off the vibes Illumi gives to him? I'm not trying to scare him, but he seems so...off.' _

Gon shook his head.

"You were disappearing."

"What?!"

"Not in that sense! But in the sense like...I couldn't feel you anymore."

When Gon stared at him with the same look of confusion, he tried to elaborate again.

"I knew you were here, but you didn't feel here. It felt like you were fading away."

"I'm...still not following..."

"Is this it then?! Is this that 'nen'?! This isn't anything like what Wing said!" Killua fumed.

"Killua!"

"That's it! I'm going back to ask him what in the  _ hell  _ is going on!" Killua whirled around and began storming back.

"K-Killua! Wait!" Gon stumbled after him.

"He's not telling us something, Gon. I don't like the game he's playing. If he doesn't tell me everything, I'll beat the truth out of him!"

"Calm down, Killua," Gon said with a nervous smile. He knew Killua would, but that wasn't what worried Gon. What worried Gon is what Wing would do. What if whatever he was doing wasn't nen, but something else?

Gon's eyes widened in realization. He hadn't been doing it right. He  _ was  _ doing something else.

Going to back did seem look like a good idea, but he just wished Killua wasn't so mad.

Otherwise, this would be a pleasant and probably educational visit.

~

"Master Wing?" Zushi asked in a small voice. Wing looked up from the book he was reading. "Yes, Zushi?" he asked patiently.

"Why didn't you tell them everything? You only told them a tiny bit of what they need to know."

"I don't know what you mean," Wing said calmly, returning to his book. Zushi walked over, shaking his arm slightly. "You told them the dangerous part. Why didn't you start off with the basic principles like you did with me?"

"I sensed no malice in them first off. Second, I know they have potential. They seem like smart boys. They could figure it out."

"But they have no idea! They may never know about hatsu or any of that!"

"But they'll come back eventually," Wing pointed out. "But Master Wing, what if it takes them months to come back? And they still haven't figured it out?" Zushi pressed. Wing closed his eyes for a moment. "I'm not sure how long it will take them, but it can't be that long. Give them a couple weeks or so."

Zushi sighed and looked out the window.  _ 'I have a feeling they're not gonna be very happy. Especially Killua.'  _ Zushi started to sweat. Killua scared him. And to think about him getting angry...

Zushi shuddered. He hoped he wouldn't be around when Killua came back. He just  _ knew  _ he wouldn't be happy. No, he knew for a fact Killua would be very angry.

And Gon? Well, maybe he could calm him down some. But Zushi just couldn't see that one happening. 

"Are you sure about this, Master Wing?" he asked, looking back at him.

Wing looked up with a smile. "Of course."

Zushi could only pray Wing knew what he was doing.

~

Kurapika stood stubbornly at the edge of the cliff by the waterfall. Mizuken had left earlier, much to his relief. He'd  _ really  _ agitated him. Seriously, who was he to say what he is and isn't prepared for?! The events from earlier played and replayed in his head.

...

_ After Mizuken slapped him, Kurapika's head was thrown to the side from the impact. It hadn't hurt, but it did surprise him. "What?" _

_ "I do support you, Kurapika. And I do try to understand. Do not ever accuse me of doing neither. It's you who is the one not understanding. Listen to me. Before the war, I thought I was doing the right thing. I was determined to keep everyone safe." _

_ "And you did." _

_ "I did keep people safe. But many have died either way. I still remember my first kill. When that man fell, at first, I was elated. But then I noticed something. A picture that had fallen out of his front pocket. When I picked it up to look at it...my excitement turned to shock and horror. Do you know what the picture was of, Kurapika?" _

_ "..." _

_ "It was a picture of that very man, a wife, and two kids. A little boy, and a baby girl, no older than 2. I'd just killed someone very important to others. I ran back to base and tried to talk to the general. But he refused to listen. So I kept fighting and killing. When we finally won, I was depressed for awhile. I thought there was no point in living. Who was I to celebrate living when I'd taken so many other lives? Even to this day, I can still hear the screams of those who'd died...I still regret every life I took. That's why I say you're not prepared to kill, Kurapika. Do you understand what I'm trying to say?" _

_ "...But I have to avenge my clan. I have to do this." _

_ "Please just leave your hatred behind, Kurapika. There won't be anything left of you." _

_... _

Kurapika took a deep breath. "I need more power," he whispered. "I need to conjure the chains I desire..." he held his hand infront of him and focused solely on his aura. Bit by bit, chains began falling from his hand. He stared at it, not making a single movement or sound. Eventually, it stopped. He smiled, satisfied. He'd conjured chains.

His head began to ache and everything started to go blurry. He took a step back and took a deep breath, but began to feel more light headed. He closed his eyes and fell to the water below.

~

Back at the Zoldyck mansion, Kalluto had left Alluka's cell, grabbing a knife. He walked over to Silva and Kikyo. "Father, Mother, I'm going out for a little while," he said. "Where are you going?" Kikyo asked.

"Go ahead, son." Silva said. As Kalluto walked off, Kikyo started to fume at Silva, complaining he never talks things over with her.

Kalluto stepped outside and started walking. He had the place he needed to go to in mind, and he knew it wouldn't be that hard to find it.

He was headed straight for Gon's house.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I totally bullshitted through this XD


	18. Truth Hurts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alluka isn't sure if she wants to live or die.  
> Killua and Gon storm back to Wing's a demand the truth.  
> Kurapika wakes and leaves.  
> Gon and Killua learn the principles of nen.  
> Illumi and Hisoka are leaving Zaban city.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *coughs* Well, I got busier than expected. I'm so sorry I'm practically neglecting this fanfic. But I am totally into it, I really am! I AM going to finish this!

 

Alluka hadn't moved from her fetal postition for hours. Or, she thought it was hours. She wasn't sure anymore. Time slipped by. It felt like years since she was thrown in here. She remembered when they found out Killua left.

...

_ Alluka was sitting in her room, playing with her stuffed animals, smiling to herself. Out of nowhere, he door slammed open, revealing her obviously angry father, Silva. "What is it, dad?" she asked, blinking. _

_ "You! Where is Killua?" he snapped, ignoring her question. _

_ Alluka jumped up, blue eyes widening. "Killua's gone?" she questioned in shock. Silva stormed in, grabbing her by the front of her dress. "Don't play dumb with me! I know you know where he is!" he snarled. Alluka cowered in fear. "I- I really don't know." she stammered. "Well if you won't talk, then I'll just kill you!" _

_ "Don't do it, dad." Kalluto said from the threshold. Silva turned to his youngest son, who stared blankly at them. "We can still get him to talk. Just throw him in the isolation chamber." _

_ "...And when Killua finds out, he'll be back." _

_ "Yes." _

_ "Good thinking, Kalluto." _

_... _

Alluka sniffled and bit back a sob. Why should she stay here any longer? She was gonna end up dead anyway. Why not get it over with? Why not speed up the process? She glanced around, wondering if she could use anything. Her wide eyes landed on a blade, just within reach. She scooted over and grabbed it. The blade dug into her palm. Blood dripped down from her hand and slipped down her arm and to the floor. She held it to her chest. Wiping at her tears, she murmured prayers that Killua would stay safe.

Just as she was about to move, she could  _ hear  _ Killua's voice screaming at her.

_ "Don't do it, Alluka! Please, you have to live!" _

She froze. "Big brother?" she whispered and looked around. Killua wasn't in sight. She stared down at the blade, lower lip trembling. She knew she heard him. Maybe it was just her subconscious, she wasn't sure anymore.

Killua's voice told her to live. Don't do it. Don't die.

But was it really worth it? Was getting tortured everyday for hours really, truly worth it? To see Killua's relieved face? To see him smile? To have him carry her bridal style away from this hellhole?

_ Yes,  _ she decided. It was worth it. She had to pass on a message to Killua anyway, and dying wouldn't do her any good.

She had to stay strong. She had to live.

~

Killua slammed the door to Wing's house open. "FOUR EYES!" he roared so loudly the walls trembled. Gon covered his ears at his friend's tone.

Wing was nowhere in sight. Killua took a step inside.

"K-Killua, you're breaking into Mr. Wing's home!" Gon said, honey brown eyes wide. Killua scoffed. "So? Who cares? He knows we're here," he said in a snarky tone that claimed  _ I'm right and you know it. _

"W-who cares?" Gon sputtered.

"Yeah. We're not going to kill him or anything. He said so himself. He doesn't sense any malice in us."

Gon smiled nervously. "But that was earlier."

"Four eyes! Where are you?" Killua shouted, ignoring Gon, who pouted.

Zushi poked his head around the door from another room, sweating rapidly. He knew Killua was angry. He knew Killua would be angry earlier. And now he was terrified of the white haired boy.

Killua walked further in, looking around with a scowl.  _ 'Does honestly think he can hide from me?'  _ Killua nearly scoffed. As if that four eyed nerd could hide from him! He was a Zoldyck, for crying out loud!

Both pre-teens walked around the house, with Zushi watching in the shadows, hoping not to get caught and interrogated.

Killua and Gon walked upstairs and walked further in, glancing in the rooms. They stopped infront of Wing's room.

"Need something, boys?"

Killua's eyes widened and he whirled around along with Gon, who looked equally shocked.

_ 'Impossible! I didn't even feel him!'  _ Killua thought, then remembered he hadn't felt Gon earlier. Realizing this meant Wing knew exactly what he was doing, Killua pounced, grabbing his shirt and yanking him down. "Listen up, four eyes! I don't have time for your stupid game!"

"Killua!" Gon exclaimed.

"Tell us the truth, four eyes! I'm not gonna ask you again!"

Wing's glasses shone, hiding his eyes. "Are you really ready for it?"

"We need to know what's going on! We have too much important things going on that we need to handle! Stop wasting our time and get on with it!" Killua snapped.

Gon tugged at his arm. "Calm down, Killua, everything's gonna be okay," he said, almost pleadingly.

Killua dropped Wing's shirt, giving Gon a dry look. "You're so positive it's painful." Gon only pouted in response.

"Alright." Wing spoke, catching the two boys attention. "I'll teach you the four basic principles of nen. Follow me, please."

~

Kurapika has no idea how long he was out, but it was pretty dark out, save for the fire Mizuken had started. He sat up, head pounding. He groaned and put a hand to his face. His whole body felt like it was made of lead.

"So you've finally woken up."

Kurapika glanced at his master through his fingers. Mizuken was staring into the fire, eyes distant, as if lost in thought. "That's good, you were out for awhile now," he said, almost like an afterthought.

"How long?"

"Few hours. Look, I know you want to practice, but you could've died. You're too reckless."

"I'm not-"

"If I wasn't nearby you would've drowned," Mizuken interrupted. Kurapika sighed but didn't say anything else. He knew Mizuken was right. Which is why he was silent. Kurapika should always be right. No one else. He'd never admit he was wrong.

"Here."

Kurapika looked up at the cooked fish on a stick his master was offering him and stared for a second. One look in Mizuken's eyes was all it took for Kurapika to take the stick gingerly and take a small bite.

"Kurapika, I want you to go home and rest."

"I don't have time to rest," Kurapika said stubbornly.

"Think of it this way, if you don't rest, you won't have the strength to beat the Phantom Troupe. Watch your own health, otherwise you'll end up dead."

Kurapika fell silent and sighed, setting his unfinished fish down and stood up, giving a small bow. "I appreciate your teachings, but I must go now," and with that, he walked away.

"Kurapika, wait."

Kurapika stopped, but didn't turn.

"I'm giving you one last chance," Mizuken said quietly. "I don't want to see you messed up after this. I want you to continue living without revenge in your mind. Please, let your anger and hatred go. Killing the Phantom Troupe will only make things worse."

Kurapika lowered his head slightly, then left Mizuken alone in the forest, heading back into town. Home.

By now, he wouldn't be surprised if Leorio was home. And he wouldn't be surprised if Leorio was already there, waiting for him. No doubt seething in anger and frustration. Maybe Gon and Killua were home now, too.

Either way, he had allot of explaining to do.

~

"The four basic principles of nen are ten, zetsu, ren, and hatsu."

"Ten, ren, zetsu, and hatsu," Gon repeated to keep it in his mind. He bit his lower lip, repeating it over and over in his mind.  _ 'Ten, ren, zetsu, hatsu. Ten, ren, zetsu, hatsu. Ten, ren, zetsu, hatsu.' _

"Yes. If you wish to learn nen, these are the things that are crucial to know," Wing replied, writing on the board. Gon and Killua watched in curiosity and fascination, while Zushi stood by Wing quietly.

"Ten is the ability to build up shroud of your aura. You can make your body appear harder, much like a shield."

"Like a shield," Killua whispered quietly. Gon glanced at him then back to Wing.

"If you use zetsu, you nullify your aura. It conceals your presence."

"Wait a minute! Then was that what you were doing earlier?" Killua interrupted. Wing glanced at him. "Yes, it was. I could feel both of your auras coming, so I used zetsu to conceal my aura, and I hid."

Killua turned to Gon. "So you were unintentionally using zetsu back at the park," Killua mused.

Gon pouted.  _ 'But that wasn't my intention!'  _ he thought and sighed. He'll have to ask Wing about it later.

"Ren is a technique to increasing your aura. You've witnessed it before. When Zushi terrified you, Killua, he was using ren."

"I was right, it was a technique," Killua muttered, unhappy at the reminder the shorter boy had scared him so much.

"And finally, hatsu. It's the act of releasing your aura. You often use it when you finish using ren. Depending on how much aura you've built up from ren, hatsu can be very powerful," Wing concluded.

Gon frowned. "But, Mr. Wing? Why didn't you tell us this before you told us about nen?" he questioned.

"Because I wanted to test you. I wanted to see how far you boys could get and see if you can pick up on things you don't even know about."

"I think I did zetsu earlier, by accident," Gon said quietly. He still remembered the bewildered look on Killua's face.

Wing frowned. "Was that your intention?"

"No! It wasn't! I was trying to enhance myself, like you!" Gon bit his lower lip. Wing ran a hand through his hair in thought. "I'm not exactly sure how you managed that, but you have to really focus. Tell you what. Both of you, go home and practice ten. Once you've practiced it enough, then move on to zetsu. Gon, when you work on your zetsu, try to think of a scenario where you don't want to be found."

"Imagine a scenario where I don't want to be found...got it," Gon nodded.

"Work on your ren. Just imagine you're in a fight, and use it to defeat whoever you're fighting. And then finally, your hatsu. For this, I would use a dummy of some sort, since it can be quite harmful."

"How so?" Gon asked.

Wing turned to his wall and became silent, putting a hand to the wall. Gon noticed his aura had started to rise and gulped slightly, a bead of sweat falling down his face.

Out of nowhere, the wall Wing had his hand on all but exploded.

Gon and Killua's eyes widened in shock as Wing turned back to them. "Do you see what I mean now?" he asked. Both boys nodded.

"Go home now. Get some practice in. Afterwards, try your nen abilities."

"Thanks Mr. Wing!" Gon called, stepping out the threshold to the front door. Killua followed him. "Yeah, thanks four eyes," he echoed, crossing his arms lazily behind his head. Wing waved as they left then dropped his hand, face going deathly serious.

_ 'Just try not to hurt yourselves, or anyone else.' _

~

"We've searched every little inch of Zaban city, but they're nowhere to be found," Hisoka sighed. Illumi walked up to him, face blank as always. "Then that just means one thing. They are in Yorknew city."

"I can't wait to find them," Hisoka licked his lips, shuddering in excitement, then looked at Illumi with a devilish smirk. "By the way...am I allowed to kill Killua?" he asked.

Illumi shot him a dark look. "I swear, I will kill you. Right here. Right now."

"Scary. I was only kidding!" Hisoka grinned, tilting his head innocently to the side. "You're oozing bloodlust."

Illumi shook it off the best he could and glared at him in annoyance.

"Well then, let's be on our way!" Hisoka walked off to the direction of the airships to take them to Yorknew city. Illumi shook his head and followed his red haired boyfriend. Hisoka really got on his nerves allot. He really had a knack for it.

Hisoka didn't seem to notice his irritation and just walked ahead with that creepy smile of his. People who saw them cleared a pathway for them, in hopes of not getting in their way. Illumi sighed to himself.  _ 'I have no interest in these feeble human beings right now.' _

Hisoka eyed anyone who stared at him, and said person would always flinch. He fell into step with Illumi with a fake pout. "This is why I'm always so shy," he said.

Illumi didn't have an answer. He just continued walking with Hisoka to the airships. The airships that will take them to Yorknew city.

_ 'Watch out, Killua. We're on our way.' _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alluka's family refers to Alluka as a boy, if you remember that, if that clears any confusion up...


	19. Talks and Plans

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gon and Killua make it home and is questioned by Leorio.  
> Leorio waits for Kurapika.  
> Canary leaves the Zoldyck mansion.  
> Killua ponders his friendship with Gon.  
> Kurapika makes it home and has a heart to heart with Gon.  
> Mito gets a surprise visitor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This wasn't easy to write, since I'm really sick, and I'm super tired. I hope you enjoy either way!

 

Gon and Killua arrived back home, Kurapika's apartment, shortly after midnight. Leorio was slouched over on the couch watching tv, a takeout box lay empty on the table infront of him. Upon hearing them return, he turned the tv down and jumped up. "Gon! Killua! Where were you?" he asked.

"Does it matter?" Killua retorted.

"Yes, it does matter," Leorio crossed his arms, a habit he'd picked up from Kurapika whenever Kurapika got annoyed. Which brought him to his next point. "I thought I told you to watch over Kurapika this morning," he continued.

Gon looked down. "Sorry, Leorio. But we were-"

"Kurapika isn't here."

"What? Where is he?" Gon asked, honey brown eyes widening.

"I don't know. That's why I'm telling you to listen to me next time."

"Shut it, old man! You're not our father!" Killua snapped.

"Killua!" Gon admonished. _'What's gotten into him?!'_

"Don't talk to me like that! Show some respect, will ya?!" Leorio argued childishly.

"Leorio!" Gon looked at him.

"I'm not gonna show some respect to you!"

"I'm older than you!"

"So? You don't own us!"

"No, but you're living here!"

"This is _Kurapika's_ apartment, not yours! And its not our fault he left!"

"Maybe you should-"

"BE QUIET!" Gon suddenly screamed, making both Killua and Leorio stop and flinch. Gon panted slightly, eyebrows drawn down, clenching his teeth. "Would you guys just stop already? Arguing isn't gonna do anything. We didn't know Kurapika would leave, Leorio. We don't know him well like you do. Now we learned our mistake. We're gonna be home for awhile now anyway, so will you please stop shouting? And Killua, why did you have to burst out like that? It wasn't necessary," Gon said, calmer. Gon liked to think of himself as the voice of reason in these situations.

Killua crossed his arms with a small _humph._ While Leorio flopped back down, scowling, brow twitching.

Gon sat down on the floor, back against the wall. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath before slowly letting it out.

He had to focus on practicing ten while he still could.

~

When Gon sat down, Leorio looked over at him. Gon was just sitting there quietly with his eyes closed, legs spread out infront of him. Leorio couldn't help but wonder what he was doing, and what he meant by they'll be home for awhile anyway. He wanted to ask, but Killua soon joined him, clearly indicating he knew what Gon was doing and was gonna do the same thing. Leorio grumbled to himself and crossed his arms. He decided to ask Kurapika when he got home.

...After he got answers as to why Kurapika left in the first place.

' _Honestly. Why can't he just lay back and rest, like a normal human being?'_ Leorio thought, shaking his head. As much as he tried to ignore it, he knew why now of all times he'd be up and about. He just found out the Phantom Troupe ruined his life. They mass murdered his clan. Anybody would be furious. And Kurapika had quite the temper when he was angry.

He remembered one time, on their very first date, someone was insulting them for being gay.

Leorio still remembers what the guy looked like after Kurapika punched him. He shuddered.

Lecturing his boyfriend wasn't going to be easy.

~

The dark skinned young butler girl looked around quietly, making sure she wouldn't get caught. After making sure no one was around, she took off running as fast, and quietly, as she could. She clenched her teeth, sweat dripping from her forehead, as she refused to stop, even when her legs and lungs screamed at her to stop. _'I have to help Killua. I have to. I have to help my friend!'_

Memories of what happened afew hours ago replayed in her mind.

...

_Canary was standing by Gotoh, Tsubone, and Amane while Silva received the phone call he'd been expecting from Illumi. "Well? Did you find them?" Silva demanded as soon as he answered the phone. It was silent for a minute before Silva's stern look turned to one of rage. "WHAT?!" he howled angrily. None of the butlers flinched. They wouldn't deserve the titles 'Zoldyck Butlers' if they did. It was silent for another moment before Silva visibly calmed down. "Yes, you're right, that means they are in Yorknew city. Good. Finding them shouldn't be too hard."_

_Another moment of silence, then a nod. "Yes, Alluka is doing 'fine'."_

_Canary almost flinched. Killua wouldn't be happy when he saw the state Alluka was in. Just earlier, she'd walked with Milluki to the isolation chambers and saw Milluki beat the crap out of her horrifically. She'd wanted to cry out for him to stop, but she couldn't. And she had the impression that if Illumi and Hisoka found and brought back Killua and Gon, they wouldn't be treated any better._

_She discreetly swallowed a heavy lump in her throat. She had to do something. Killua was her friend. And Gon was very friendly as well. She couldn't let them down. Even if it meant her dying, she would do anything for them. Anything..._

_"What? Your flight is being delayed?!" Silva suddenly growled. Canary's ears perked up._

_Silence._

_"Damn, well, it doesn't matter, we can wait a day or two," Silva huffed._

_An idea started to form in her mind. Their flight was being delayed. She still had a chance of helping. She'd just have to wait until the coast was clear._

_..._

She eventually made it off the mountain and ran as fast as she could to town, making it within 3 hours. Her breath never slowed. She was a Zoldyck butler, after all.

She boarded the first airship to Zaban city, which took off only minutes after she got on. She sat silently at her seat, staring out the window silently.

The pilot's voice sounded over the intercom. "We will be arriving in Zaban city within the next 2 hours, until then, please feel free to rest! That'll be all!"

Canary sighed and laid her head back. She wondered how long the delay in Zaban city would be. And why Illumi and Hisoka's flight was being delayed.

Whatever, she will make it, and she will put her plan into action.

Even if she dies along with other people.

~

Killua hadn't been practicing ten for very long before his mind began to wonder. He kept his eyes closed, though, so Leorio wouldn't speak to him. He thought about Illumi and Hisoka, and why it was taking them so long to find him. It wasn't like them to take so long. Illumi was a Zoldyck, and Hisoka was...well, he was Hisoka! There really wasn't an explanation for the red haired magician.

Illumi's face and words haunted him everywhere he went, not that he'd tell Gon that. Gon just didn't understand the extent Illumi genuinely scares him. And he didn't plan on explaining it to his naive friend. He couldn't put his burdens on him. He just couldn't.

_After all, he will betray me in the end._

Killua frantically shook that thought from his head. Illumi's words were getting to him. He shouldn't, wouldn't, allow that.

Gon would never betray him.

_However, it's still possible I will be the one who betrays him in the end._

No. He would never betray Gon either. He opened his eyes sadly and glanced at Gon, who was still focused on practicing his ten. He gave a small, sad smile.

 _'Right. I'd never betray him, just like he'd never betray me.'_ Killua thought. He cared about Gon too much to even consider betraying him.

Before he could even think about anything else, the front door opened.

~

To say Kurapika was exhausted would be an understatement. And he was cold. He walked for afew hours from the forest to his apartment. And, just as he expected, Leorio, Gon, and Killua were already there by the time he arrived.

Leorio jumped up. "What the hell, Kurapika?!" he all but shouted, startling both Gon and Killua.

Kurapika didn't answer. He just set his things down and walked to the kitchen for a glass of water.

"Where were you?! And why are you wet?! Kurapika! Hey! Are you gonna answer me or not?!"

"I'm not," was Kurapika's curt response. It wasn't any of Leorio's business where he was.

"Dammit, Kurapika! I told you to stay in bed this morning, did I not?!"

"You did, but that doesn't mean I have to listen to you," Kurapika retorted.

"You're acting like a child," Leorio huffed.

If looks could kill, Leorio would have died and gone straight to hell.

" _I'm_ acting like a child?! I have too much stuff to do to worry about relaxing! I'm not some weak child, Leorio! I can handle myself and you just can't accept that! You think just because you're older and taller that you can protect me! But you can't! You can barely hold your own in a simple fist fight! I've been a bodyguard for the Nostrade's for quite awhile now, and I'm the leader! If that doesn't say anything, then dammit Leorio, just-!"

"Kurapika!" Gon stumbled over to where Kurapika was, grabbing his arm and shaking it. "Stop, Kurapika! Don't say anything you'll regret later!" he pleaded.

"Stay out of this, Gon," Kurapika said, voice calmer, but still shaky.

"I won't let you drive Leorio away again!" Gon replied stubbornly, before tugging at his arm. "Come on, let's talk. Killua?" Gon turned to Killua, who looked up at him. "Talk to Leorio, okay?

"Yeah, yeah."

"Wha- hey!" Leorio protested, but Gon ignored him in favor of dragging Kurapika outside the apartment.

Kurapika followed the shorter boy out and continued walking until they reached the stairs, where they sat at the bottom.

"Why did you blow up on Leorio?" Gon didn't hesitate.

Kurapika sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose before answering quietly. "I have my own things going on. The Phantom Troupe murdered my clan, I won't let them get away with that."

Gon looked down for a minute, then back up. "Then, where were you?" he asked softly.

Kurapika closed his eyes silently, not giving an answer right away. Before Gon spoke, he answered his question.

"I was visiting my old master, the one who taught me nen 6 months ago."

"You know nen?" Gon perked up.

"Yes, I do. I'm a conjurer. For the longest time, I've wondered, what can I conjure? I never gave it much thought until recently."

Gon looked at Kurapika closely. Kurapika knew he didn't look too good, and decided to humor whatever Gon said next.

"Is that why you're all tired now? You've been practicing your nen?" he questioned. Kurapika nodded.

Gon didn't say anything for another minute. "You know, me and Killua found out about nen today. We're still not getting it. We're trying to practice ten before anything else, and then learn nen itself. It could take a really long time, though...but...we have to fight back...against Killua's brother Illumi and Hisoka."

"Illumi and Hisoka?" Kurapika repeated.

Gon nodded sadly. "And we'll never win at this rate."

"Gon..."

"Maybe you could be the one who coaches us?" Gon bit his lower lip.

Kurapika stared at him. He couldn't believe Gon was asking him to coach him and Killua. He wouldn't be a very good teacher.

"I'm not sure I'm the right person for that. Keep practicing the basics, and then you'll understand."

"We'll all make it through this, right, Kurapika?" Gon asked hesitantly. Kurapika blinked. He'd never seen Gon look so vulnerable. It reminded him that Gon was still a 12 year old boy. He took a breath and let it out, giving him a small smile.

"Yeah, everything's gonna be fine."

~

Mito was sitting at the main table in her home with her face rested in her hands. She sighed sadly, staring at a picture of her and Gon, both smiling brightly.

"Gon...where are you?" she murmured softly. She missed her sweet nephew. She didn't know why he ran off with Killua in the first place. She knew Gon wasn't mad at her or anything. Gon never really was one to suppress his emotions.

A small tear dripped down her face just before there was a knock at the door. She got up, hoping it was Gon. She walked to the door and opened it. But, to her disappointment, it was only a small boy with short black hair and violet eyes.

"Can I help you?" she asked politely.

"You're Mito, right? Gon's aunt?"

"Yes, I am," she said slowly, suddenly tense.

The little boy only nodded to himself, and out of nowhere, he leaped up and chopped the back of her neck.

Mito fell to the ground with a small gasp, vision going blurry. The last thing she saw was the boy staring down at her with disdain.

 _'Gon...I'm so sorry. Make it home safe...'_ was her last thought before passing out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Everytime I say "they were Zoldyck butlers" I am very tempted to make a Black Butler reference XD and yes, I know I'm evil. Cliffhangers galore, am I right?


	20. Go for it

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leorio and Killua have their own little talk.  
> Kurapika and Leorio make up.  
> Killua and Gon talk about what they're gonna do.  
> Canary arrives in Zaban city.  
> Gon tries out zetsu.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahh, another chapter. How exciting, I think XD this was difficult to write, solely because I'm not very good at these kind of things. Necessary, but I'm not good. I hope you guys enjoy anyway!

 

Leorio stared at the door Gon and Kurapika walked out of, blinking. His gaze fell to the white haired boy, who was digging through Gon's backpack until he found a bunny headed shaped lollipop. "H-hey! That's not yours!" Leorio stammered.

Killua looked at him with raised brows. "Actually it is. We put everything in here. Including my candy," Killua tore the wrapper off and threw it to the trash can, making it in. He leaned back and began sucking on the lollipop, eyeing Leorio with thoughtful, almost calculating, icy blue eyes.

He took the lollipop out. "Gon told me to talk to you."

"I know."

Lick. "I'm not good at this kind of stuff, but I'll try my best," Killua leaned forward, pointing his lollipop at Leorio. "You're an idiot."

"What?!"

"You're an idiot," Killua repeated slowly, "I say that because you act more like Kurapika's father than his boyfriend."

"I'm just worried about him!"

Killua's eyebrows lowered in annoyance. "And there's nothing wrong with caring about him, but there are limits. You don't _have_ to know where he is all the time. Ever consider maybe that's a reason he refuses to talk? Because you're too pushy?"

"P-pushy?!"

"Yeah," Killua sucked on his lollipop for a moment then pulled it away from his mouth. "Point is, the more you push, the less you get. It's a simple fact, old man. Anyway..." Killua's face dropped some. "You dumped a load on him after he's gone through so much. He was in a _coma._ And was in a burning building _and_ was almost _kidnapped._ Then you tell him when he wakes up his entire clan was murdered by the Phantom Troupe. It's no wonder he's so stressed. He has too much to do and think about, and being snapped at and treated like a child is only more frustrating." Killua stuck his lollipop in his mouth.

Leorio was silent for a minute. "I worry about him. He does reckless things all the time. Reckless and stupid. He just doesn't know when to quit. He should've been resting this morning, but he left."

Killua took his lollipop out. "You can't protect him."

"I know."

"So instead of getting frustrated about not being able to control your boyfriend..."

"I'm not trying to control him!"

"...why not just let him go? Be there to support him, I mean, that's all you can really do. Listen to him if he needs to talk, if not, just act normally," Killua shrugged and put his lollipop back in, watching Leorio curiously.

"Just act normally, huh?"

He took the lollipop out. "Yeah. I mean, you won't be able to get anything out of him. So just wait it out.”

Leorio sighed and thought for a moment before nodding. "You're right, Killua. I need to talk to Kurapika," Leorio stood up.

"Sit back down, I can feel them coming," Killua said with a yawn before licking his lollipop.

"You can what?"

The apartment door opened, and Kurapika and Gon walked inside, with Gon clinging to Kurapika tightly, like a child would to their mother.

~

Kurapika let Gon hold onto him as they walked back inside his apartment, watching the smaller spiky haired boy let go and run over to Killua, both already whispering to one another. Kurapika stopped infront of Leorio, who looked almost shameful. He jerked his head once over to the bedroom so they could talk in private. Kurapika nodded and followed the taller into the room and gently closed the door behind him.

"Kurapika, I..." Leorio swallowed. Kurapika stared at him, waiting. Leorio sighed.

"I'm sorry," he mumbled.

"What? Will you repeat that?"

Despite the seemingly innocent tone, Leorio knew for a fact Kurapika heard him. He shot him a look. "I said I'm sorry, you dick."

"Wow, some apology," Kurapika mused, the corners of his lips twitching upwards.

Leorio's brow twitched then he sighed. "But in all seriousness, I _am_ sorry. I don't mean to be pushy or any of that crap Killua pointed out."

Kurapika rose his eyebrows. "I take it your talk went well then."

Leorio snorted abit. "Yours probably went better since it was with Gon."

Kurapika didn't bother denying it.

"Anyway, I don't want to push you away, like I have been. I just want to be your wall of support. I want you to know you are not alone, so please, Kurapika, talk to me. You can rely on me. Hell, you can rely on Gon and Killua, even Melody. We're all here for you, so don't think for one second that you're in this by yourself. Okay?"

Kurapika was stunned into silence. _'I knew how he felt, but I didn't know that he felt this strongly about it.'_ His brows furrowed.

_'I'm not alone, huh? It certainly feels that way sometimes. No one truly understands the pain I feel. I...I miss my clan. I wish I hadn't pulled away from my mother before leaving town. I wish I just stayed in her arms and hugged her back. Had I known everyone would be killed, I would have. But now I have you, Gon, and Killua to look after. It's like I gained another family. I'm afraid...if I get any of you involved, then you guys would be killed as well. I refuse to let that happen. Even if everyone says I'm not alone, I always truly am. In order to protect everyone...I have to do this myself...'_

Kurapika noticed Leorio's jaw had dropped in disbelief, and it took him a moment to realize he said everything out loud.

"Kurapika...you can't protect us forever. Sooner or later, we're going to face danger by being with you. But you know what? I don't think any of us have any regrets. It's our own choice to be with you," he walked over to his smaller boyfriend, giving him a soft kiss on the forehead.

"Leorio..." Kurapika sighed in content, cheeks taking on a tiny tint of pink. He couldn't help but smile when Leorio sat them both on the bed, long arms wrapped gently, yet firmly, around him. He felt so...safe, in Leorio's arms.

Not that he'd ever admit it, of course.

~

As soon as Gon had let go of Kurapika, he rushed over to Killua and began whispering. "So? How'd it go?"

"It went well," Killua replied, giving his lollipop a lick. As soon as Kurapika and Leorio walked inside the bedroom, they began talking normally. "What did you say?"

"I called him an idiot and told him to ease off."

"Well...that's one way to do it, I guess," Gon smiled nervously with a sweatdrop. "How'd yours go?" Killua questioned.

Gon grinned at him. "It's a secret."

"Haa? Really?" Killua complained.

Gon nodded, making a motion of sealing his lips. Killua nudged him and stuck his lollipop in his mouth. Gon looked up at the ceiling.

"Killua?"

"Hm?"

"...Do you have fun playing with me?"

Killua's eyebrows rose and he took his lollipop out of his mouth. "Of course, why?"

"Mm. No reason."

Killua shrugged and leaned back.

"Should we practice our ten?"

"Yeah, that's a good idea. The more we practice ten, the better we get at it, then we can practice the other principles."

Gon nodded and leaned back, closing his eyes. He took a deep breath then slowly let it out. Killua did the same. They both sat there in total silence, already practicing their ten.

Killua refused to let his mind wander this time. He had to master ten. From there he can practice zetsu, ren, and hatsu.

 _'Four eyes said we'd need a dummy of some sort for hatsu. Where are we gonna find a dummy?'_ Killua's brow twitched. _'Oh well. We'll figure it out when the time comes. For now, I really need to focus on my ten.'_

And so, with that, Killua finally cleared his mind, and he focused on practicing ten.

~

As soon as the airship carrying Canary arrived in Zaban city, she all but ran off, looking around desperately. People were out and about, despite the fact it was a little past 1am. She fidgeted with the bag she was carrying and searched for the airships leading to Yorknew city.

"Excuse me? Have you seen-"

People would ignore her and carry on.

"I beg your pardon, but can you-"

"Miss, will you please-"

"Sir, I'd greatly appreciate it if you-"

Pretty soon, Canary got annoyed. She _had_ to find the airship to Yorknew. She just _had_ to. When she finally noticed an employee, she scrambled over. "Excuse me, mam?"

"Yes? What can I help you with?" The attendant lady asked with a friendly smile.

"You wouldn't happen to know when the airship to Yorknew is taking off, do you?"

"The airship to Yorknew?" The lady checked the clipboard. A minute later, she looked up. "It should be leaving within 10 minutes. Why?"

"No reason. Where is the airship?"

"Down that lane, take a left at the third airship."

"Thank you so much." Canary ran off towards the direction of the airship, noticing Illumi and Hisoka walking in. She hid and waited before sneaking on board, hiding in the luggage section and waiting until the airship took off, flying high above in the sky. She peeked out the window, whistling very softly to herself. "Damn, it's a long way down." She opened her bag and took out the bombs she'd taken from the butlers headquarters. No doubt at all either Gotoh, Tsubone, or Amane will notice, and no doubt for sure she would get in serious trouble.

_'I don't care. It's for Killua.'_

She ripped the strings off and then threw them into various places on the airship. Pretty soon, the airship was exploding from the inside. People screamed in panic as the airship went down. Canary winced and clutched onto something to avoid flying around. She was trembling and whispering prayers.

"Please be safe, Killua..!"

~

Gon was sure he'd practiced ten enough. He wanted to move on quickly, even if he wasn't fully ready. That was how he was. He was impulsive and he wasn't all that great at using his head. He walked to the couch for a better seat and took deep breaths. In through the nose, out through the mouth. In, and out. In, and out. In, and out. Wing's words repeated in his head.

...

_"When you work on your zetsu, try to think of a scenario where you don't want to be found."_

_..._

"A scenario where I don't want to be found, huh..." Gon murmured very softly to himself. What kind of situation would he have to be in, if he wanted to hide his presence so much?

Then an idea struck him.

He remembered what Hisoka looked like when he stared at them. He would want to hide his presence from him.

Gon closed his eyes and imagined himself in a forest along with Hisoka. Hisoka stood there with that one creepy grin, licking his lips. Gon shuddered. This seemed like the perfect scenario.

Gon concentrated for a little while, before imagining himself following the creepy red haired magician.

His imagination soon became more vivid as he suddenly imagined Hisoka finding Kurapika and Leorio. He tensed abit. He still had to conceal his presence, they could take care of themselves...right?

Gon's eyes snapped open. He couldn't do it anymore. The thought of Hisoka with Kurapika and Leorio made him feel sick to his stomach. And following Hisoka, even if it wasn't real, was terrifying. One thought then struck him. _'Did I do it?'_

He sank into the couch and hid his face. He had to continue practicing zetsu, but he was just so scared of the scenarios he could come up with.

...But that was the point, right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments are greatly appreciated!! I'm happy to have managed to update this.  
> Have a Merry Christmas everyone!!!


	21. Bad Things are Bound to Happen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Phantom Troupe makes a plan.  
> Uvogin and Shizuku talk.  
> Leorio is in a bad mood.  
> Killua thinks about Alluka.  
> Gon is just worried about everyone.  
> Kurapika and the bodyguards get a surprise.  
> Neon is shaken up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hooo-wee! Sorry about the wait!! I just got into Sword Art Online and just finished...I really liked it and lost interest in Hunter x Hunter for a little bit there, but I'm back now with a whole new chapter! I hope you guys enjoy it!

 

"How are we going to get to that filthy Kurta?" Phinks asked.

"We can always lure him into a trap," Shizuku suggested.

"A trap? Like what?" Omokage asked. Shizuku shrugged. "I don't know."

"We can kidnap his boss. He's a bodyguard, right? It'll be his job to rescue her." Chrollo spoke up.

"Yeah, that's right!" Uvogin grinned, standing. "Just let me handle this. I can't wait to go up against the Kurta boy," he chuckled.

"You can go, but only if you bring Shizuku with you."

"What for?" Uvogin asked, putting his hands on his hips, eyeing Chrollo, who responded evenly. "Luring him into a trap was her plan. It wouldn't be fair if she was left out."

"Fair enough. Oi, cmon Shizuku," Uvogin turned and started walking. Shizuku looked at him through her big glasses. "Coming," she called, jogging to catch up with him.

Chrollo closed his eyes as the rest of the Phantom Troupe watched them leave with interest. One thought crossed all of their minds.

_ 'How will this all play out?' _

~

Uvogin all but stomped in confidence as he walked out of the hideout with Shizuku at his side, walking much more quietly. She watched Uvogin as he whistled a tune.

"So when we get there, they're sure to fight back," she mentioned. Uvogin grinned. "I really hope they do. Who knows? Maybe they'll be really strong!"

Shizuku didn't bother commenting. She knew at this point, Uvogin wouldn't listen to her. He was most likely thinking about all the blood that would be spilled.

Actually, she'd be shocked if he wasn't.

From the corner of her eye, she saw Uvogin lick his lips and grin. She sighed. Uvogin would never change. Not that she really wanted him to. He was just a little...hectic, sometimes, to put it mildly.

"How strong do you think the Kurta kid will be?" he asked.

"Well...given he's part of the Kurta clan and the Head of Bodyguards, I would have to say he's pretty strong," Shizuku replied. Uvogin's eyes gleamed in anticipation. "I can't wait to break them."

"Don't forget we have to bring him back alive," Shizuku reminded him. Uvogin sighed. "I know, but for now...I'll take what I can get."

Shizuku simply sighed in response.

~

"Calm down, Leorio, I'm going to be back tonight," Kurpika said in quiet irritation. "But you should be  _ resting _ !" Leorio emphasized, scowling at his smaller boyfriend in a louder tone. Kurapika put a finger to his lips, gaze hardening. "Shh! You'll wake up the kids!" he hissed.

Leorio scoffed but lowered his voice anyway. "They aren't even ours, Kurapika. Gon's aunt is probably worried sick about him."

"I'm not having this argument again, Leorio."

"I'm just saying-!"

"Leorio, I said I'm not having this argument again," Kurapika said firmly.

Leorio instantly shut up. Kurapika sighed and walked over to him, putting a hand on his cheek. "I'll be fine. Don't worry. And when I get home I'll make a wonderful dinner. Okay?"

"Fine," Leorio grumbled. It was better than takeout, which was precisely what Leorio has been eating.

Kurapika stood on his tiptoes and gave Leorio a soft kiss. "I'll be home before you know it," he promised. Leorio sighed and watched him open the door and leave. His face dropped to an angry scowl. "Dammit Kurapika! You always do this!" he seethed to himself.

"What's wrong, Leorio..?" a familiar sleepy voice asked. Leorio turned, seeing Gon with his usually messy hair even messier than normal, only in his shorts and a white tank top, rubbing his eyes with a yawn. Padding up behind him was Killua, his hair even more wild and out of place. He yawned hugely, covering his mouth, blinking the sleep away.

"Kurapika is going to work," Leorio griped.

When neither boys answered, Leorio elaborated. "He's still unwell."

"I think he's okay by now, though," Gon mumbled.

"Well you didn't see him this morning!" Leorio argued childishly.

"Oi, old man, watch it," Killua gave Leorio a small glare, stepping infront of Gon slightly as the smaller continued to rub his eyes.

"It's just so frustrating seeing him act like this! Why can't he just-!"

"Leorio."

Leorio stopped mid-sentence, looking at Killua, who seemed wide awake now. He was giving Leorio a firm look. "Remember what I said yesterday?" he questioned. Leorio reluctantly nodded. "Then start doing it," Killua looked back at Gon who just finished rubbing his eyes, face still sleepy.

"Gon, why don't you go back to sleep?" Killua grinned.

"Nooooo, I'm awaaaake," Gon mumbled. Killua snorted and nudged him. Gon pouted slightly.

Leorio turned from the kids, eyebrows drawn down.  _ 'I know Killua advised me to act normal, but I'm not only Kurapika's doctor, but I'm his boyfriend as well! Of course I'm going to be concerned...'  _ he shook his head and sighed in irritation.

Kurapika was going to be the death of him.

~

Killua sweatdropped when he heard Leorio grumbling to himself. He turned to Gon, who looked like he was finally waking up. From the corner of his eye, he saw Leorio sit in the corner, probably sulking. That made him think about how mad Alluka should be at him...

He could just see how she would glare at him if she saw him.

Her eyes would be full of tears with her eyebrows drawn downwards, cheeks puffed, and hands clenched into fists at her sides. As soon as she'd begin yelling, she would point and stomp her little foot.

His own icy blue eyes filled with tears. He couldn't stand the fact that Alluka was most likely angry with him, but he knew he deserved it. He didn't deserve such an amazing sister like her. Alluka deserved someone better. Someone who wouldn't abandon her like he did...

To him, what he did was unforgivable...

Especially when he thought of how she was being treated. How bad was it? Did she have any internal bleeding? Any concussions? Every thought made him terrified.

When they were younger, if Alluka got a little cut on her finger or anywhere else for whatever reason, she would tear up and have him kiss it all better after he put a cute little bandaid on it.

How bad was she hurt? Did she even want his help dressing her wounds? Did she even care for his genuine 'feel better' kisses anymore? Did she think he was nothing but a lying, horrible, traitor brother, who abandoned her?

A lone tear fell down his cheek.

He felt a slightly smaller and warm hand on his shoulder. He turned and saw Gon looking at him with wide eyes and a slight frown. They had a silent conversation.

_ Are you okay?  _ Gon's eyes seemed to ask.

_ No. _

_ Is it Alluka? _

_ Yeah. _

_ She'll be okay. When we save her she'll forgive you.  _ Gon smiled at him in determination.

_ I doubt it. _

_ She will. I promise. _

Killua broke eye contact, cutting off their little silent conversation. He heard Gon huff slightly. He managed to crack a small grin.

He really hoped what Gon thought was true. He didn't want Alluka to cry. He didn't want Alluka to be angry.

He didn't want Alluka to hate him

~

As soon as Killua broke eye contact, Gon huffed, and noticed the corners of Killua's mouth went up some. Gon smiled brightly. "Well, I'm gonna go get dressed for today!" he announced. Killua looked at him oddly but Gon ignored it and closed the door, with Killua out in the living room. As soon as the door clicked shut, Gon's smile dropped to a sad frown. He  _ hated  _ seeing Killua cry. It just shouldn't happen. Killua was...well, he was Killua! He just doesn't cry! It was out of character! Gon really missed the days when they didn't have to worry too much about anything, and would laugh and spend time together freely, just jumping around like the little goofballs they were.

He took off his white tank top and slid his brown one on instead and slid his green jacket on. He half-heartedly brushed his hair and faced the door with a deep breath, before slowly letting it out. He opened his eyes and reached for the doorknob and paused.

He wasn't ready to come out.

Gon lowered his hand.

His mind wandered off from his thoughts about Killua, to Alluka. He was genuinely worried, and he truly believed she would forgive Killua for running off. But he didn't know how to convince Killua. He probably wouldn't be able to. It was Killua's personal issue. His inner demons were eating at him for running off and leaving his sister behind.

Just like Kurapika's inner demons were hissing for him to get revenge on the Phantom Troupe, which was practically suicide. Kurapika was quite reckless as well, so death was very possible. Even though Kurapika claimed death didn't scare him, Gon knew he didn't want to die just yet. Not until everything is finished.

But how long would that be? Days? Weeks? Months? Years?

Gon sighed, bottom lip jutting out. He hated this. He hated being in this situation where one friend is running from his older brother and his psychopathic magician boyfriend while being harsh on himself for leaving his little sister. And the other friend is turning into a revenge driven maniac, determined to do a suicide mission. And The other friend not wanting to support him and simply doesn't understand Killua's situation.

It was like Gon was in the very middle of a huge web, going from one side to another to assure each friend that everything would be okay.

He hoped it would all be okay in the end.

~

When Kurapika arrived at work, all of the bodyguards, and including Neon herself, protested.

Kurapika ignored them and sat down at his assigned desk and began writing each bodyguard's position.

"Kurapikaaaaa?" Neon appeared behind him.

"Yes, Miss Neon?"

"Will you guard my room? I wanna talk to you about something."

Kurapika turned to tell her Baise would be better, but paused when he saw the look in her eyes. It was serious, rather than playful or flirty. He turned back to his paper.

"As you wish, Miss Neon." He made his list.

_ Kurapika - Neon's room. _

_ Baise and Tocino - Gates. _

_ Ivlenkov and Squala - Inside front door. _

_ Melody, Linssen and Basho - Patrol. _

Kurapika stood up and walked out to the living room where everyone sat there, waiting. As soon as he put the paper on the table, everyone jumped over to look it over.

"I want you all to stay sharp, as usual. I don't know if you've been slacking off, or not, but you are to remain focused. Is that clear?" Kurapika asked firmly.

"Yessir!" the other bodyguards chorused.

"Good. Then get to it."

Everyone scrambled to their positions.

Kurapika sighed and walked upstairs to Neon's bedroom and noticed her door was wide open. He stood beside the threshold. "I'm here, Miss Neon," he said in his normal, quiet tone.

He heard shuffling before Neon and Eliza appeared. Neon gently shooed her off to go make her some hot tea. She faced him. "Kurapika, why are you here?" she asked with her arms crossed.

"What do you mean, Miss Neon?" he asked calmly, even though he knew exactly what she meant.

"I mean I'm not stupid! I know you're still kinda weak!"

"I'm feeling fine. I'm not weak."

"Well, I still think you should be resting for another couple days!"

"I've been neglecting my duty for a week now. I'm afraid I cannot take any time off."

"Y-you...you didn't neglect it, you dummy! You were in a...a..." she faltered.

"Coma."

"Yeah! That! For days!" she shook her head. "I'm just saying relax some, Kurapika. When Eliza comes back, have some hot tea. I insist." she said. Kurapika glanced at her from the corner of his eyes and saw her big blue eyes wide and pleading. He let out a sigh.

"Miss Neon..."

"Here's the tea, miss," Eliza said, appearing with a couple cups and a pot of tea.

"Set it in my room and pour Kurapika a cup," Neon ordered.

"As you wish, Miss Ne-"

Eliza was cut off by a scream. She jumped, dropping everything and Neon flinched. Kurapika immediately sprang into action. "Eliza! Take Miss Neon to the attic and hide there!" he commanded before running and leaping over the staircase.

"Kurapika-!" Neon wailed.

Kurapika got to the living room just in time to see one of his worst fears.

A huge man beheaded Squala, his body falling and landing right next to a bleeding Ivlenkov, who laid on the ground, totally motionless.

"What have you done?!" Kurapika's eyes burned. The huge man turned to him. "Are you Kurapika?" he questioned. "I am," Kurapika said curtly.

The man laughed. "Man, you're just some scrawny teenager! I can't wait to see how strong you actually are! Where do you want to die?" he smirked. Kurapika's eyes narrowed. "And why should I fight you?" he retorted.

"Because if you don't, we'll kill everyone here."

Kurapika made sure his face didn't show any emotion, even though he tensed slightly. "And...I certainly hope this makes a difference..." a sadistic grin etched across his face. "I am a member of the Phantom Troupe."

If Kurapika's eyes werent' burning before, they were definitely burning now. His black contacts hid that, though.

"Alright then," he said coldly. "I would prefer somewhere out of Yorknew. A deserted place. Since I'll have you screaming at the top of your lungs.

Uvogin scoffed.

"Kurapika!" he then heard Melody's cry.

Kurapika whipped around, seeing a black haired woman raising a vacuum to Melody. It clearly her nen.

Immediately, he shot his right hand forward, shooting his ring finger's dowsing chain to whack it away from her. The woman turned in surprise. Melody looked relieved and grateful.

"If you get out now and leave everyone else alone, I'll fight you, is that a deal?" Kurapika spoke harshly to Uvogin.

"Sure. Shizuku," he called and jerked his head to the door. The woman, Shizuku, made her vacuum disappear and walked out, eyeing Kurapika curiously as she left. Uvogin turned to him. "Alright. Follow me. I know the perfect place to settle this," he said.

"After you, then," Kurapika said coldly.

Uvogin smirked at him then walked out. Kurapika followed him, glaring hatefully at his back.

As they passed the gate, Kurapika noticed Baise and Tocino on the ground bleeding and realized Shizuku must have killed them. He clenched his fists tightly together.

_ 'Damn!! I swear, I will avenge each of you.' _ Kurapika thought in fury.

He'd let down more people.

~

"Eliza! Look! The bad people and Kurapika are leaving!" Neon said, watching from the window at the attic.

"It must be safe, then. I don't hear anything," Eliza said, "but stay behind me anyway, just in case."

"Okay."

And with that, the two females descended down the ladder of the attic, then went downstairs.

But what they saw wasn't pleasant at all.

Dead bodies, blood everywhere, the living room a mess.

Neon's eyes widened in shock. She'd never seen anything like this before. It was...horrifying.

Out of nowhere, she heard Eliza scream. Neon's head snapped towards her. Eliza had tears streaming down her face and ran down the rest of the steps and dropped beside's Squala's dead  _ headless  _ body. Eliza began sobbing loudly as she clutched onto his pink shirt, her tears soaking it. "Squala..." she hiccuped and choked on her tears.

Neon took a step back, unsure how to handle it. Her own body was shaking- and not because her house was attacked. She looked around feverishly, as if the answer was in her room. As sobs filled the room, her eyes finally landed on something.

A small plush dog she'd left before going back to her room. She knew it wouldn't help, hut what else could she do? She couldn't tell her it'll be okay, the one she loves just died! Neon didn't know how she'd survive if Kurapika had died.

Slowly, she walked over to the plush. She carefully picked it up and gently crept back to Eliza.

"I-" She started, "I don't know how to... I don't... I'm not very good at comforting people... But um..."

She held up the plush.

"I don't know, will this help? At all? Even a little? Or would a hug be better?"

Eliza stared at her for a moment, tears still dripping down her cheeks.

Neon was trembling. She hoped Eliza didn't snap, but something inside told her Eliza was holding back. Something she just couldn't fix.

"M-Miss Neon," Eliza sniffled and wiped helplessly at her own tears and accepted the small plush dog. It reminded her of Squala, since he loved dogs so much.

"Keep it," Neon said quietly.

Eliza looked up at her and hugged her, bawling her eyes out in Neon's shoulder. So Neon did the only thing she could think of at that point.

She hugged Eliza back. "It'll be okay...Kurapika is gonna fix everything..."

She glanced at the door, forcing her mind to ignore the bloody, dead bodies on the ground.

_'I_ _hope.'_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, I'm really sorry about the wait! I tried making the chapter longer, and I'd succeeded in that! Almost 3k words! :0 I hope you guys enjoyed this!


	22. Determination and Skill

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Uvogin leads Kurapika to a deserted wasteland.  
> Killua and Gon decide to go to a gym.  
> Gon meets someone and Killua gets upset.  
> Neon tries to cheer Eliza up.  
> Kurapika fights Uvogin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I got re-hooked onto Hunter x Hunter :) damn the Phantom Troupe. I mean, you just can't hate them!! I wish they'd have their own little mini series T^T  
> Anyway, enjoy!

 

Uvogin could feel the Kurta boy's eyes glaring at his back and happily ignored it. He hummed a happy tune. "So you're the surviving member of the Kurta clan!" he called, giddy for a simple conversation before crushing him.

"Shut up." Kurapika spoke.

"Aww, I'm just trying to break the ice," Uvogin threw his head back and laughed. Right. Break the ice.

"I'm not interested in idle chat. Especially with you," Kurapika said coldly.

"You got guts, I can tell you that much, kid." Uvogin grinned to himself. His muscles twitched, they were just _aching_ to beat this little blonde pretty boy to a pulp.

 _'Oops,'_ he thought mildly. _'I better not tell Shalnark I called a different male blonde pretty.'_

The thought of his boyfriend actually frowning over something almost, _almost,_ made him pause. He loved his tactical little blonde boyfriend. And he was determined to show it. Even if it made him come across and sarcastic and creepy. He chuckled. He didn't mind. He was just expressing his love and desire, after all.

"Sorry about how long it takes to get there, but it's necessary if we want that peace and quiet you so desperately want," Uvogin called halfheartedly.

"I don't care how long it takes. As long as I'm able to kill you, I'm fine with walking the rest of eternity," Kurapika retorted.

Uvogin smirked. _Arrogant little asshole._

The fated battle was going to begin. And Uvogin just couldn't wait to take his mutilated body back to everyone else.

It took all he had not to attack him now. But he was an honorable man.

He would keep his word and fight at the deserted wasteland...

If he can truly handle himself.

~

"Hey, Gon, I was thinking," Killua began as they both sat in the bath.

"Hm?" Gon looked at him curiously as he scrubbed shampoo in his spiky hair.

"Do you think it'd be a good idea to work out in the gym as well as do nen training?"

"Hmmm. It makes sense! So yeah! We can go right after our bath!" Gon said cheerfully and scrubbed quickly.

"H-hey! I didn't mean right away!" Killua shouted as Gon rinsed his hair out. Gon only grinned that big and innocent smile. "Well we should still hurry!" he said enthusiastically. When Killua didn't move, he squirted shampoo on his hands and began washing Killua's hair for him.

"H-hey! Cut that out!" Killua complained, trying to push him off. "Just hold still!" Gon giggled. Eventually, Gon's knee slipped and they fell, Killua was barely able to hold his head above the water. He tried getting up, only to find out he can't.

Then he realized why.

Gon was laying on top of him. Naked. Their bright red faces inches away.

Killua wanted to just dump his head in the water and drown to save himself the embarrassment. But that wasn't the Killua way!

"G-get off, moron!" he snapped, trying to hide his blush. He wasn't angry...of course he wasn't. He was just...well, humiliated. But it was Gon, who simply didn't care about that stuff.

Gon leaped back instantly, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. "Sorry Killua, it was an accident," he stuck his tongue out with a small smile.

"Idiot!" Killua whacked his head, huffing. "I told you to stop!"

"And I told you to hurry up!" Gon countered.

"Well we didn't have to hurry!"

"If we get there sooner we could work out more!"

"..."

_'Dammit. Why did Gon always have to have a point?'_

Killua sighed and rinsed his fluffy white hair and stood, grabbing his and Gon's towel. He tossed Gon's over. "Here. Catch."

Gon caught it and stood. They dried themselves off and quickly got dressed. Killua in a light blue tank and black shorts, and Gon in a white tank and green shorts.

Killua could still feel his face burning and noticed that Gon's cheeks were pink. He shook his head. _'Stupid. You're only imagining it. There's no way he'd like someone who would abandon his own sister.'_

And just like that, Killua's mood switched from embarrassed to depressed.

"Killua, are you okay?" Gon asked in concern.

"Ha? Yeah! Of course!" Killua fake smiled. Gon frowned and leaned in, looking at him with intense honey brown eyes. "Killua...I know when you're lying," Gon said sadly. Killua tensed. _'Of course he would.'_

"Please, don't hide anything from me...I'm your best friend, aren't I?"

"Of course you are, idiot...just don't worry about it, okay?"

"...Okay..."

Killua ignored Gon's sad puppy eyes and held his hands behind his head. "Well, we're wasting daylight. Let's go!" he urged. Gon nodded once and gave a small smile.

"Yeah."

~

The entire walk to the gym was silent. Killua looked lost in his own thoughts, eyes sad. Gon stared forward and frowned.

 _'Why is Killua acting like this? Is he thinking about his sister?'_ he wondered. It sounded right, considering that's all that Killua has been thinking of these past few weeks.

When they got to the gym, they began stretching. Once they were done, they headed for the weight lifting section. Unfortunately, there was a woman sitting in the way, her hair was a messy black color and wore a light purple dress.

"Um, excuse me, will you please move?" Gon asked politely. When the woman didn't move, Killua stepped up. "Hey lady, we're talking to you," he said.

The woman looked up. Both boys flinched at the intensity of her eyes. "I'm not going anywhere. Not until Knov comes back."

"Knov?" Gon tilted his head to the side.

"Yes...Knov is my everything," she sighed dreamily. "I was gonna go on a date with him, but he's an hour late," she said sadly.

"Look lady, I'm sorry to say, but he duped you. Now will you-"

"HE WOULD NEVER DO THAT!!" she roared, catching the attention of many. Both boys shuddered.

"H-hey, try to calm down." Gon said nervously.

The woman glared at them, then out of nowhere, began to bawl. "KNOV!! WHY DID YOU DO THIS TO ME?! WHY DID YOU LEAVE ME?!" she wailed.

"...Miss? Is it a date that you want?" Gon asked. The woman looked at him and nodded sadly. "What's wrong with wanting to go on a date? It's my first ever...and...I don't even know how to act! What if I mess up?!" she suddenly panicked.

"Well, to start off with, you should make yourself look nicer!" Gon advised.

"Look...nicer?" she repeated.

"Yeah! Do your hair and make it look pretty! And change your clothes into something...cute! It's really important to do so!"

"...Why? He wouldn't date me for my looks..." the woman said glumly.

"No," Gon agreed, "but it shows you spent time and effort to look good for him, and really care!"

"...Oh...so then, this wouldn't cut it," the woman lifted a lock of her hair and glanced at her dress. Gon smiled awkwardly. "Well, it wouldn't be good for a first date," he said carefully. The woman looked horrified. "So I'd be an embarrassment to Knov?!" her voice rose.

"No! It's just not...right!"

The woman began sobbing. "Boy...will you please...take me out on a date tomorrow? For practice? Please?" she begged.

"What?!" Killua finally exploded. "Look lady-!"

"Alright."

"W-WHAT?!?! DO YOU EVEN KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING?!" Killua yelled at Gon. Gon stared at him curiously.

 _'Why is Killua getting so worked up?'_ he blinked and then smiled. "Yeah. I know. It's okay!"

"No! You don't even know this woman!" Killua snapped.

"Oh! Forgive me! My name is Palm!" the woman, Palm, stuttered, embarrassed.

Gon turned to her with a big smile. "It's okay! I didn't introduce myself either! My name is Gon! And this is my best friend in the whole wide world, Killua!"

"Shut up, stupid!" Killua snapped, cheeks reddening. "You're so embarrassing!"

"But it's the truth!" Gon whined.

"So...tomorrow we'll have...our first date?" Palm asked, ignoring their little banter. Gon turned back to Palm and gave her a thumbs up and a happy wink. "Yep!"

"You promise..?"

"I pinky swear! Here, hold out your pinky!"

Palm hesitantly held out her pinky. Gon wrapped his pinky around hers and shook it with a big smile.

"Pinky swear so if I lie stick a thousand needles in my eye! And seal it with a kiss!" He pressed his pinky against hers.

"Oh!" Palm blushed and then smiled. "Okay, so where will we meet?" she asked. Gon put a hand to his chin. "Hmm...how about by the cafe? The one by the news stand? 10am?"

"Alright! I'll be there!" Palm squealed and ran off.

"Finally the old hag is gone," Killua muttered. Gon swatted his arm. "Killua, that wasn't nice!" he scolded. Killua shrugged and put a big dumb bell on his shoulders while Gon picked up one similar to it and began lifting.

"Hey, Gon? Have you ever been on a date?"

"Of course."

Killua nearly fell. "What?!"

"Most were with Aunt Mito!"

"Oh...wait! Who else was there?!" he demanded. "Oh, many women! Allot of them liked younger men! They would teach me things!" he said happily.

Killua's eye twitched and dropped his dumb bell, causing a very loud thud. Gon smiled and hummed a tune to himself.

_'I still remember when that one lady taught me how to color in the lines!'_

~

As Eliza sobbed in Neon's shoulder, Neon herself rubbed Eliza's back, eyes wide in fear and horror. She had no idea how to handle this. She's never been in such a situation.

"I'm...sorry, Eliza...I thought that the world was nice...I thought...people were good..." she said quietly.

"It's not your fault, Miss Neon," Eliza sniffed.

Neon bit her lower lip. She really wished Eliza would smile again. She didn't like all this crying. All this death and blood in her house...

"We'll get right to the cleaning, Miss Neon," Melody said gently and turned to Basho. "Let's remove the bodies."

"NO!!" Eliza screamed, ripping herself from Neon and dropping the stuffed dog. "YOU CAN'T TAKE SQUALA AWAY!! YOU CAN'T!!!" tears rolled down her face.

"Eliza!" Neon cried.

"LEAVE US ALONE!! I LOVE HIM!! YOU CAN'T TAKE HIM AWAY!!! PLEASE!!!" she screamed beggingly.

"Basho...please..." Melody said in a quiet tone.

Basho looked pained but lifted Eliza up, with her still clutching desperately onto Squala's pink shirt. "NO!!! YOU CAN'T DO THIS!!! YOU CAN'T!!!" she yelled as he took her upstairs to her room.

Neon felt tears welling up in her eyes and looked out the window.

_'Kurapika...please...make those bad people pay for what they did!'_

~

By the time Uvogin and Kurapika made it to the deserted wasteland, it was already night. Kurapika stared coolly at Uvogin as he grinned. "Sorry it took so long. Now, I'm not allowed to kill you, so you can surrender now if you want."

"I'm not surrendering." Kurapika tore his tabard off and threw it to the side. "I have a question. Do you remember the people you've killed?"

"Some of them...if they left a good impression. Why, you out for revenge?"

"So you remember the Kurta clan." Kurapika said, ignoring Uvogin's question.

"I remember killing them, but not much," Uvogin replied carelessly. Kurapika's eyes narrowed and took afew steps forward. "Alright. Fine. I have another question. When you kill a totally innocent person, what do you feel? What are you _thinking_?"

"Nothing at all, to be honest."

"You bastard...you'll pay with your life!" Kurapika held his right hand out and shot out his chains. Uvogin dodged them then jumped back to avoid getting hit again. Kurapika leaped up and flung his arm forward, the chains whipping towards him.

Uvogin narrowly dodged it, eyes narrowing, then dashed forward. "Offense can be the best defense sometimes, kid!" he shouted and aimed a punch. Kurapika held an arm infront of him to block it, letting his arm take the punch and was flung back from impact. Uvogin smirked as Kurapika slammed into the rocks.

Kurapika got up and dusted his shirt off, shaking his head. Was this really the best he got?

_'How disappointing.'_

"Are you still alive?" Uvogin called out tauntingly. "I hope so, everyone would be mad at me if I killed you! I mean, I am the physically strongest out of the entire Phantom Troupe!"

_'The physically strongest? ...Interesting.'_

Kurapika walked out and looked at him evenly. Uvogin's jaw dropped.

"Tell me...was that punch the best you got?" Kurapika asked.

Uvogin's eyes widened then glared. "No, it wasn't. I'd say that was around 20%. Now I'll show you 50%!" He powered his nen.

"That's an impressive amount of aura," Kurapika said quietly then lunged, appearing right behind Uvogin and punched his back. Uvogin nearly fell forward, but caught himself and tried to swipe him, but Kurapika was already several meters away.

"Dammit, stop darting around..." Uvogin smirked. "However, you made a terrible mistake."

"You mean I should've chained you up when I had the chance? Don't make me laugh. You're wasting my time."

"That's it! I'm going full power on you!" Uvogin yelled and punched the ground, making it impossible to see.

 _'A smokescreen?'_ Kurapika looked all around him, figuring instantly that Uvogin was using _in._

From the very corner of his eye, he saw the smoke shift ever so slightly and gasped, turning to block his body with his arm. The moment Uvogin's fist made contact with his arm, it shattered and Kurapika flew back.

"Heh, got you that time. But I am impressed you dodged that."

"I'm impressed as well. I didn't know you could use _in._ I probably should have figured, however, since you are a member of the Phantom Troupe. However...you're not the only one who can use _in._ "

Uvogin blinked in confusion and used gyo, then noticed chains were wrapped around him tightly. "No way!"

"So you can use gyo too?" Kurapika took a step forward.

_'I finally have a member of the Phantom Troupe right where I want him.'_

"How are you doing this? Why can't I summon my aura?!" Uvogin snarled.

"These chains are made from a conjurers nen, so I could easily hide them. My chain jail, once wrapped around its opponent, will enforce zetsu, so to be frank, you'd need brute strength alone to break these chains."

As soon as Kurapika said that, Uvogin tried his best to get out of them, shooting Kurapika a confused death glare.

"You look a little lost. Allow me to illuminate you, before killing you." Kurapika looked down and removed his contacts and looked up, his eyes burning a bright scarlet color.

"When my eyes turn scarlet, I become a Specialist. I have full control over all of the nen abilities."

"What?" Uvogin choked out.

Kurapika ripped the sleeve to his broken arm's sleeve off and let his holy chain drop and wrap around it, healing it completely.

"See? I can heal myself like a master enhancer," Kurapika said.

Uvogin stared at him, a bead of sweat falling down his forehead.

Out of nowhere, Kurapika appeared infront of him and punched him. "Now tell me, where are the other members?" he asked.

"I'm not telling you."

Kurapika punched him again. "What abilities do they have?"

"I'm not talking."

Kurapika began to punch him. Once, twice, again. He stopped when he saw blood fall. "I can't stand it. The smell, the sound...it makes me sick to my stomach...how can you possibly do all of this, without feeling or thinking anything?! Answer me!" Kurapika shouted.

"No."

Kurapika shot his judgement chain out at him. "This is your last chance. If you answer my questions properly, I'll let you live...a little while longer. Where are the other members?"

"How about you rot in hell, blonde bastard?"

But instead of any reply, the chain crushed his heart, and he collapsed. Kurapika let his eyes fade back and released his nen, stumbling back. He covered his face with one hand, eyes going blank. _'I stayed in that state too long...'_ he was exhausted. He glanced up at the sky, noticing the full moon. He blinked.

_'Oh...I still have to get home...I promised Leorio a good dinner tonight...'_

And with that, he grabbed his tabard, and walked home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lots of references here!! :3 I did the fight mostly based off of memory and changed some of it up some. Which probably wasn't all that good. But I hope you guys enjoyed!


	23. Shock and Surprises

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kurapika makes it home.  
> Leorio notices something is off.  
> Gon goes on his date.  
> Killua spies on them and then meets someone.  
> The Troupe realizes Uvogin is dead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HIYA! Sorry about the wait! Been focusing on school, since I'm graduating in a couple months. I will do my best to finish this before school ends! I'd give it a couple chapters, maybe, then the end plot will come. Well, enjoy!!

 

Kurapika walked home in a daze, his eyes blank and soulless. He could faintly feel his phone vibrating, and could vaguely hear it beeping, signalling he had a call. He ignored it. He was too numb to answer. What would he say?

'Hi, this is Kurapika, a cold blooded murderer!'

_Yeah right._

It had already settled in Kurapika's mind that he'd just killed someone. And he was trying to deny it. He was trying to deny the fact he took a human life. Whether he liked it or not, it would always be on his conscious.

 _'Do I really...have the strength to do this again?'_ he wondered idly as he made it back to town. His legs instinctively carried themselves back to his apartment. He let his legs take him home, while his mind was completely elsewhere. He killed a man.

Reality finally sunk in. He really had killed someone. He paused. It was true. He'd killed Uvogin of the Phantom Troupe.

 _'I have to...I have to keep going...'_ Kurapika thought mildly and continued.

By the time he got home, it was 11pm. Leorio was slouched on the couch, staring at the tv, which played some sort of show that didn't register through his mind. Afew boxes of takeout laid on the table.

When Leorio noticed Kurapika, he turned the tv off and jumped up, stumbling over to him. "Kurapika! What the hell happened?! I called Melody when you didn't come home and she said you left to fight a huge guy!" Leorio spoke quickly.

"..."

"...Kurapika?"

Kurapika looked away, ashamed to show his face infront of his boyfriend. He'd killed a man, and was dating a doctor. He couldn't face Leorio right now.

"I'm going to shower," Kurapika said quietly, stalking off to the bathroom, glancing at the sleeping kids as he did.

He closed the door behind him and stripped, stepping in the shower afterwards and stared at the wall blankly.

_'Killer. You murdered him._

_I know._

_You're no better than them._

_..._

_You deserve any bad thing that comes to you._

_...I know.'_

More and more thoughts plagued his mind as he stood there, staring down as the water ran down his body. He took a deep, shuddering breath.

_'...I'm not the same Kurapika anymore. I'm merely a murderer now...'_

~

Leorio could only stare, dumbfounded. _'What just happened..?'_ he blinked and stood there. He didn't get a chance to confront Kurapika, like he thought he would. He knew his boyfriend would come back. He just didn't know when. So he'd been rehearsing in his mind on what he would say to his reckless lover.

But he hadn't expected Kurapika to return, face pale, his left sleeve gone, and his eyes...

_'Is it just me...or did Kurapika look...depressed..?'_

Leorio wanted to shake his head, but he'd seen Kurapika's eyes before he'd turned away.

He had the eyes of the dead. Like he had no reason to live anymore. Like he'd just done something horrible.

New questions spiked in Leorio's mind, as well as suspicions. But, as a doctor, he knew not to push the subject. Not when he was like this, in such a fragile state, it may make things even worse, and Leorio really didn't want that.

 _'I'll question him when I can.'_ Leorio decided. _'Like it or not, he's still my boyfriend, and I intend to help him in any way I can.'_

~

When Gon woke up at 8 in the morning, he noticed he was alone, and couldn't sense Killua anywhere. His brows furrowed and he crawled out of bed and padded out. Leorio was fast asleep on the floor, a limbs tangled up in the blanket. He snored lightly, a small string of drool fell from his mouth.

Kurapika was laying on the couch, curled on his side with his arms drawn close to himself. His face was pale, and had a single tear stain on his cheek. Gon's brows furrowed in concern, but focused on his task at finding Killua. He opened the front door and stepped out in the slightly chilly weather and closed the door quietly behind him. He looked around.

"Killua?" he called softly and went downstairs barefooted. He was easily able to ignore the stinging cold on the bottom of his feet, he was growing more concerned about Killua's disappearance. "Killua?" he called again, a little bit louder now that he was further away from the apartment.

Suddenly he felt an aura. He recognized it instantly. Gon smiled brightly and ran to the source, finding Killua behind a tree afew meters away. He wore large white pants and a dark blue long sleeved shirt. "Killua!" he cheered when he saw his pale friend. Killua turned his his tanned friend, face dropping in disappointment. "Gon..."

"I found you! You can't hide from me, Killua!" Gon said with a huge grin.

"Gon-"

"Were you practicing your zetsu?" Gon interrupted, his honey brown eyes widening.

"Gon-"

"I couldn't even feel you! How were you able to-"

"GON!"

"Yeah?" Gon blinked innocently at him. Killua side and turned his head to the side. "Idiot. You're in a tank and shorts and no shoes and yet you're outside in this weather."

Gon blinked again and looked at his attire. He hadn't even noticed!

"Sorry Killua," Gon rubbed the back of his neck and stuck his tongue out sheepishly.

"Moron." Killua took his shirt off and shoved it at him. "Here. I don't want you getting sick on me."

"But you'll be cold. I'm not taking it!" Gon replied stubbornly, cheeks puffing.

"My body can handle the cold. You, on the other hand, can get sick easier than I can. So take it, or I'll force it on you."

Gon didn't know what to say. He wordlessly took the sweater and slipped it on. It was slightly large on him, but he didn't mind that. "Let's go in, Killua. I'll get dressed and then you can help me!"

"Help you with what?" Killua asked cautiously.

"Pick flowers for Palm!" Gon smiled brightly. Killua sighed. "You're really going through with this?"

"Yep! I pinky swore, didn't I?"

"...Yeah." Killua shook his head, muttering a quiet "stupid" under his breath. Gon pouted but took Killua's hand and dragged him inside, taking the sweater off immediately and handing it back to him. "Alright! Now let me go get dressed! I'm meeting Palm in 2 hours!" Gon ran to the bedroom and dressed in his usual attire. He awkwardly attempted to finger brush his hair before deciding to simply leave it sticking up in his normal spiky manner, then grabbed his bag.

When he came out, Kurapika was sitting up, talking quietly with Killua. Killua looked frustrated, and Kurapika had his eyebrows raised, the corners of his mouth lifted upwards slightly.

"Kurapika!" Gon ran over and tackled him in a hug. Kurapika looked down at him in surprise.

"Where were you last night? I fell asleep before I could see you! You're not hurt are you?" Gon babbled.

Kurapika put a finger to Gon's lips to silence him.

"Don't worry about it," he said, face going blank.

Gon's brows furrowed in concern. He knew something was wrong. He wanted to know what, but he knew Kurapika wouldn't budge. He sighed sadly but got up. "Okay Kurapika. But I'm gonna go ahead and go for the day! Bye bye! Come on, Killua!" he ran out the door, hearing Killua call out a "wait!" before following him.

After lots of running, the two boys made it to town, where they looked at the flowers in a nearby flower shop.

"Are you two boys looking for flowers for a date?" an old woman asked. Gon looked at the old woman with a big bright smile. "Mhm! How'd you know?" From the corner of his eye, he saw Killua facepalm.

The old woman only laughed.

"Hmm...oh! How much are these?" Gon asked happily, holding up some pretty pink flowers.

"It's on the house, kid," the old woman smiled kindly at him, as if she hadn't seen anyone so genuinely innocent.

"What's on the house? You mean the flowers? What house do you mean? Where is it?" Gon asked in confusion. Killua smacked his head. "She means it's free, idiot."

Gon rubbed his head and pouted. _'Did he really have to hit me?'_

He turned to the old woman. "Oh, are you sure, mam?" he questioned, smiling brightly when she nodded. "Thank you!" he stuffed the bouquet clumsily in his bag and ran to the door and stopped at the threshold. "I'll be back later, Killua! Don't wait up!" and with that, he ran off to go meet Palm.

~

When Gon left, Killua walked back to the apartment, finding both Kurapika and Leorio gone. He shrugged it off. Work stuff, he figured.

He went to the bedroom and put on a misty blue tank top, some jeans, and a purple jacket zipped up. He also wore a hat to hide his fluffy white hair. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. _'Alright. Just like I practiced this morning.'_

When he felt like he was good, he opened his eyes and looked at the time. It was 9:39am.

 _'Shit.'_ Killua dashed out to where Gon and Palm were supposed to meet, panting, relieved to see Palm hadn't arrived yet.

He looked around and grabbed a nearby magazine and sat down on a bench and held it infront of his face, peeking up the moment he heard Palm speak.

"Um, hi Gon."

Killua's eyes widened. She looked _completely_ different than she did yesterday.

' _WHO THE HELL ARE YOU REALLY, LADY?!'_ Killua screamed in his mind, glaring. Not because he was jealous, of course not...

"Woah! Is that you, Palm?! I didn't even recognize you! You're so pretty!" Gon cheered.

Killua's eye twitched.

"D-don't say that aloud! It's embarrassing!" Palm stuttered, blushing.

_'Get over it, lady. That's how Gon is.'_

"Haa? But it's the truth!" Gon whined.

Killua's grip on the magazine tightened in anger. Gon was his, not hers.

...His friend, obviously...

"Come on! I have the whole day planned out!" Gon took one of her hands in both of his and hopped back before dropping one of his and turning so he could lead her away. Killua dropped the magazine and followed them discreetly, head lowered, but his eyes trained solely on Gon and Palm.

He followed them to a Botanic Garden, where they looked at the flowers and other plants. Palm would giggle when Gon tried to pronounce a couple of the flower names. Killua clenched his fists.

Afterwards, they went to an aquarium, looking at all the fish, turtles, and sharks. Gon would point at a shark and 'ooh' in fascination, his big honey brown eyes sparkling.

Killua gritted his teeth. Only he could make Gon smile like that. Only he ever has. And it should've stayed that way.

...He was his first friend.

After they left the aquarium, they went to a nearby cafe to eat. Killua sat afew tables away and looked at his parfait he ordered whenever he felt like Gon or Palm could see him.

Gon got up after abit and walked around the table and held his arm out for her. Palm blushed and accepted, standing up. They walked away from the cafe, with Palm still clinging to him.

Killua slammed a fist down in anger. He had to keep following them.

...To make sure she didn't try anything, of course. She was in her 20s. Gon was 12.

It was around 5pm when Gon changed his cheerful tone to a nervous one.

"Palm...there's something I wanna show you." He grabbed her hand and pulled her to the outskirts of town. The sun was already setting when they arrived. Gon sat down next to Palm in the soft grass.

Killua stayed hidden behind a tree, eyes narrowing.

"Here Palm, I got you these!" Gon took the bouquet of flowers out of his bag. The bouquet was squished from being in the cramped place for so long.

"Aww...they're ruined..." Gon said sadly.

Even though Killua couldn't see his face, he could imagine what Gon's facial expression was.

"It's okay! You're so cute and sweet!" Palm giggled.

"Really?" there was happiness in his tone that made Killua want to strangle Palm.

"Hey, Gon?"

"Mhm?"

"What's Killua to you?"

Killua's ears perked up and he leaned in closer. He saw Gon shift, glancing at her. "Killua is-"

"It's rude to spy on a date." A girl's voice said. Killua turned, glaring at the girl, mere inches taller than him, in a big pink dress and blonde hair held in curly pigtails. She had her hands on her hips, her pink eyes glaring accusingly at him.

"Get lost, I'm busy," Killua said dismissively.

The girl's eye twitched. "Personally if I was the one on the date, I would know you're following me, and I would beat the shit out of you."

"You? Yeah right!" Killua snorted. Who did this little girl think she was?

"I'm stronger than you," she said with a careless shrug.

"No you're not," Killua glared.

"Oh? Wanna bet?" she challenged. "Fine!" Killua got in a fighting position. She rolled her eyes. "Not here, idiot. They'll hear us. Now let's go this way for a little more privacy." she started to walk away.

"Hold on. Just who the hell are you?" Killua demanded.

The girl didn't turn, nor did she stop. "My name is Biscuit Krueger. Now come on. I don't have all night."

Killua took one last glance at Gon and Palm, who were now sitting face to face. He hadn't heard Gon's answer, which frustrated him. He'll make this Biscuit girl pay.

So with that, he disappeared, following Biscuit.

~

"It's been over 24 hours. No sign of him anywhere," Shalnark said, pacing, glancing at the entrance to the door repeatedly.

"By now, I wouldn't be surprised he was dead," Omokage said carelessly, fixing up his Retz doll.

"Don't say that! He can't be!" Shalnark snapped.

"Shalnark, the fight shouldn't have even taken 10 minutes. He'd have been back 2 hours after he went to go fight him," Machi said.

"We have to face the facts," Pakunoda said slowly, staring at their other blonde companion, who was tense.

"It's such a shame," Chrollo said, standing from where he'd been sitting. "But Pakunoda is correct, Shalnark."

Shalnark trembled. _'Don't say it. Please don't say it aloud. Please...'_

Chrollo looked at them all evenly, taking in their expressions for a moment, before saying in a slightly quieter tone.

"Uvogin is dead."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TADAAA! :3 comments are GREATLY appreciated!!! To be perfectly honest, they, or if I have ideas, are what motivate me to write the next chapter! :)


	24. Beaten and Worn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kurapika goes back to work.  
> Killua was beat by Biscuit.  
> Gon is punished.  
> Hisoka and Illumi travel to Yorknew by foot.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Arrgh sorry guys. I had severe writers block and then my laptop got taken away ;-; I really hope yall like this because my STUPID FUCKING LAPTOP DECIDED IT WOULD BE A GREAT IDEA TO BECOME UNRESPONSIVE AND STOP WHEN I'M HALFWAY DONE. I'm still pissed off to be honest. But whatever.

 

Kurapika had woken up to the sound of a door slamming shut. It was an interesting way to start the morning, to say the least. It got even more interesting when he saw Killua standing there, staring at the door he correctly assumed Gon went into, with his fists clenched.

After a brief conversation with Killua, which left him smiling slightly, Gon came out with his usual cheerful smile.

"Where were you last night? I fell asleep before I could see you! You're not hurt are you?" Gon had questioned him rapidly.

And just like that, Kurapika's semi-good mood dropped. He knew he'd remember it sooner or later today, and he knew it wasn't Gon's fault. Neither Gon nor Killua knew about what he had done. And he planned to keep it that way. He didn't want them to view him as a cold blooded murdering monster. They didn't have to know. Right?

After they left, Kurapika had gotten ready for the day, and left a plate of eggs for Leorio, who had been still asleep. He shook his head slightly and walked out.

Now, he was almost at the Nostrade home. He trembled slightly, worried the dead bodies of his comrades would still be there. He certainly hoped Melody had taken care of it. He trusted her. But that didn't help his anxiety any. However, he kept a poker face on, not letting any emotions show on his face.

When he arrived at the Nostrade home, much to his relief, the bodies were gone, but there was still bloodstains on the ground where they had died. He took a deep, shaky breath and opened the gates and walked in, shutting them behind him. He walked confidently inside, where Melody, Basho, and Linssen were waiting for him.

Melody stood up. "Kurapika, Miss Neon is still asleep in her room, Eliza is with her," she reported.

Kurapika gave a curt nod. "Understood. Melody, guard Miss Neon's room, Basho, guard the door. Linssen, patrol the area. I will guard the gates." Kurapika ordered, not noticing the sad frown on Melody's face.

"Yessir." Everyone obliged, knowing better than to argue. Not only was he their leader, after all, but he also seemed abit more uptight and harsh. They didn't wanna mess with him. They hurried to their positions.

Kurapika turned to the door.

"Kurapika, wait," Melody said softly. He turned slightly towards her, mouth pressed in a thin line. "What is it?"

"What happened last night? Leorio called late-"

"It doesn't matter," Kurapika cut in sharply, making her flinch slightly. He didn't seem to notice. "What's done is done. No one can change that.  _ I  _ can't change that."

"Kurapika..." Melody looked at him in pity. She obviously had an idea on what happened, but wasn't speaking it. And frankly, Kurapika didn't want her pity. He wanted to be alone. He wanted to be on guard in case the Phantom Troupe showed up again.

"Go to your post, Melody. That's an order." Kurapika said in a low and cold tone before walking swiftly out the door.

"...Yessir..." he faintly heard Melody whisper.

~

Killua cried out as he fell on his back...for the fourth time. Biscuit put her hands on her hips in annoyance and sighed. "Are you done trying to beat me yet? This is getting old," she complained. Killua staggered to his feet and wiped blood from his forehead, wincing as the material brushed across his wound. He eyed her carefully. Her stance was casual. Unguarded. He smirked slightly.

_ 'Now's my chance.' _

He lunged for her, fist ready. She side stepped him and tripped him. Killua gasped as he fell facefirst on the ground, the rough earthy sound smashed his nose.

Biscuit put her knee on his back and twisted his arms behind him. He clenched his teeth tightly.

"You finally finished?"

He gave no response.

"Okay, look Killua. I can tell you have serious potential, which is amazing, since you're still just a kid. Your potential, your eyes that gleam in concentration..." her tone changed to a happy, dreamy one. "And you know what? I know with potential like yours, you can just shine! Shine like...like a sapphire! A beautiful, polished, wonderful sapphire. And I am determined to bring that potential out for you to shine! It's..." her tone dropped again to something more angsty and tragic. "It's such a tragedy that its not out! Your talent is being wasted! You'll find yourself in a sticky situation one day, and if I don't bring out that potential, it'll be Game Over for you!"

"What are you talking about?" Killua grumbled.

"Okay! I have decided!" Biscuit got off of him and waited for him to get up.

Once he did, he glared at her. "Well, what do you want?" he demanded.

"Do you know nen?" she asked.

Killua bristled some. "Of course I do. And so does my friend."

"Ah, the black haired kid, right?"

Killua nodded.

Biscuit was quiet for a moment before speaking. "Is he strong?"

"Well...not as strong as me, but he's pretty strong!" Killua lifted his chin up. Biscuit sweatdropped and continued on.

"Well, I'd be willing to take him on as a disciple..."

"Really?" Killua stepped forward abit.

" _ If... _ "

Killua slumped.  _ 'Of course there's an if...' _

"You tell me...why were you spying on him and his date?" she looked genuinely interested. Killua tensed and glared at her. "Th-that's none of your business!" he snapped. Biscuit pursed her lips. "You had to have had some motivation. Obviously you weren't gonna hurt them, so why-" her eyes then widened and she smirked ever so slightly. "Ohh, I see."

"What?" Killua glared.

"You like him, don't you?"

Killua was so caught off guard he actually nearly fell from shock. "WH-WHAT?! THAT'S RIDICULOUS! I WOULD NEVER LIKE AN IDIOT LIKE HIM! NOT LIKE THAT!!" he yelled, face red.

Biscuit's smirk grew wider. "Then why are you blushing? And getting so worked up over something so small?"

"I AM NOT GETTING WORKED UP!" Killua huffed and crossed his arms and turned away from her. Biscuit was reminding him of the conversation he'd had with Kurapika that very morning.

...

_ Killua trailed in the apartment after Gon and accepted his long sleeved shirt and watched when Gon ran to the other room and all but slammed the door. The loud noise made Kurapika jolt awake slightly. He sat up and rubbed his eyes and looked over at Killua. _

_ "Killua, is something wrong?" he'd asked. _

_ Killua looked over at the blonde haired male and shrugged. _

_ "What is it?" Kurapika asked gently. _

_ "It's just...well, I was practicing my zetsu and Gon was still able to find me, he broke my concentration," Killua averted his eyes. This was a distressing fact. If Gon found him while he was following them, he'd never hear the end of it. _

_ "You just recently learned nen. Zetsu is abit difficult to master at first," Kurapika attempted to comfort him. _

_ "Well I have to learn by today or else-!" Killua snapped his mouth shut. _

_ "...Why do you want to know zetsu so quickly?" Kurapika asked with his eyebrows raised. Killua could see the gears working in his head and began to sweat. _

_ "W-well, Gon uh...he has a date and I just wanna make sure she doesn't try anything...like try to hurt him, I mean!" he babbled. _

_ Barely a second later, Kurapika let the corners of his mouth lift up. "You're jealous, aren't you?" _

_ "N-no! I'm not!" Killua fumed in denial. _

_ "You like him." _

_ "No I don't!" he snapped and Kurapika gave a soft laugh. Killua clenched his fists in annoyance. _

_ He didn't like Gon like that! _

_... _

"Anyway, why don't you go get him, and meet me in the wasteland outside of Yorknew tomorrow at dawn?" Biscuit continued.

"Alright." Killua shoved his hands in his pockets and walked in the direction that they'd come from, back to the spot where he'd been before Biscuit found him.

When he got there, he peeked out. Much to his horror, Gon and Palm weren't there anymore. He ran over to their spot and looked around wildly.

_ 'Dammit! Where the hell are they?!' _ Killua thought in agitation. From the corner of his eye, he then noticed some footprints. One pair larger and one pair smaller. He ran, following the footsteps in the dirt until he got back to town, where the footprints had to stop. He looked around, furrowing his brows.

_ 'Okay, at least they're in town somewhere...but where could they possibly be?' _

Killua suddenly felt a strong urge to go right. He didn't know why, but he followed his gut instinct and ran right. He didn't stop once until he stopped at a large 3 story house. He blinked and, without knocking, he went inside. He knew it was rude, but if anyone other than Gon or Palm was here, he could easily talk his way out of a mess.

He checked every room on the 1st and 2nd floor before sighing.  _ 'Of course they're on the top floor.' _

He walked upstairs and checked a couple rooms before coming across one at the very end of one of the hallways.

Without any hesitance, he opened the door and looked in, gasping in shock at what he saw. Papers. Everywhere. Gon on the floor writing with Palm hovering above him with her arms crossed.

~

What went wrong? Gon was confused. He didn't have much experience with girls. He kinda wished he got to know this one girl around his age in his neighborhood so he could at least get an idea on what they were like. But all he had to go by was Aunt Mito and his grandma, but even then, they would usually give up on whatever they were doing to tend to his wants and needs. Right now he really wished he'd paid more attention when they were doing something they liked. Or focused more on their emotions and reactions.

He didn't say anything wrong. He was just being honest. So why was Palm so mad at him? He'd already written  _ 'I will respect Palm more than this'  _ over a thousand times. His hand was badly cramped.

Gon didn't bother looking up when the door opened, trying to ignore the all too familiar gasp.

Killua was here. Killua had found him.

"What...the hell is going on?" Killua walked in, looking around at the papers.

"Gon was bad. So I am punishing him."

"BULLSHIT! HE'S BEEN GOOD TO YOU ALL DAY!!" Killua blurted.

This time, Gon looked up in confusion.  _ 'How'd he know?' _

Thankfully, Palm asked the very question he just thought.

Killua bristled and looked away. "He's my best friend. I know him by now. He would never hurt you unless you deliberately hurt someone he cares for."

_ Ah. Right. They were best friends. Of course they'd know eachother well by now. _

He looked back down at his paper and continued to write. He heard shuffling and heard Killua pick up a paper. A moment later, he spoke.

"Palm, what the hell are you trying to pull?" he demanded.

"What do you mean? He needs to respect me more," Palm answered in annoyance.

"Don't be stupid! Go make yourself scarce! We're going home!" Killua snapped. Gon blinked but didn't stop. Killua's words didn't surprise him, rather his tone did. It had an edge of, not only annoyance, but anger as well.  _ But why would Killua be angry? _

"What happened to you? Why are you injured?" Palm's voice changed to something more quiet. Gon jerked and his head snapped over at Killua to  _ actually  _ look at him. He was bruised. Dirty. He had dried blood stained on his face. Gon became worried instantly but stayed quiet in fear of getting punished more. He didn't want to have to another sentence 2000 times. It may even be longer than what he was writing now.

"I just got in a fight and we got kicked out of the gym. We had to take it outside," Killua mumbled.

Gon knew he was lying. Killua would never get this beat up by anyone.

Well, except his family, but they were across the country.

"Well then...how about I hurt you even more?!" Palm suddenly yelled, whipping a knife from her purse out and throwing it at him. Gon gasped. "KILLUA!" he shouted.

Thankfully, Killua dodged it and, to Gon's surprise, lifted him up with one arm and jumped out the window.

"WAAAAAAAIIIIIIITTT!" Palm screeched in anger as she jumped after them, clutching two more knives. Killua was faster than her, even with a 108lb boy under his arm.

"CATCH US IF YOU CAN, STUPID!!" Killua called mockingly.

Gon blinked and glanced up at Killua, who wasn't even breaking a sweat. "It's okay Killua. You can put me down. I need to finish my punishment."

"Idiot! You didn't do anything wrong!" Killua snapped and ran until they got to an ice cream store across town, thankfully not too far from the apartment they were staying in with Kurapika and Leorio.

Gon sweatdropped.  _ 'Figures he'd come here...'  _ he thought.

Killua set him down and pulled him over to the ice cream and motioned for him to go first. Gon blinked in surprise and confusion. "But, Killua are you-"

"Just order," Killua muttered, looking away.

Gon sighed and turned to the ice cream man behind the counter, who gave them a friendly smile.

"Umm...one vanilla scoop please!" Gon requested.

"Yessir, would you like any kinds of toppings? Any chocolate, caramel, sprinkles?"

"Some sprinkles please!" Gon smiled brightly.

The man behind the counter scooped vanilla ice cream in a bowl and sprinkled some sprinkles on top of it and set it aside and looked at Killua.

_ 'The poor man. I should get ready to tip him.' _

"And what would you like sir?" the man asked with that same friendly smile.

Killua looked at the flavors, arms crossed. But Gon could tell his heart wasn't set on ice cream. He was stressed about something.

"Do you need a minute?" the man questioned him in concern. He saw how messed up the boy looked and worried if he was in any sort of shock.

"Ha? Oh! Uh, one scoop of chocolate, one of rocky road, one scoop of cherry, one of birthday cake, one of cookie dough, one of oreo, one of peanut butter, one of almond, and one of strawberry, please."

The man frantically added each scoop to a large bowl, mumbling the order to himself before setting it down. "Any toppings? Chocolate, caramel, spinkles..?" Gon could tell the man was afraid to ask.

"Yes, extra chocolate, extra fudge sauce, extra caramel, lots of sprinkles, some chocolate chips!"

The man hurried with that and when he finished, he looked relieved. He typed in everything in the register and turned back to them.

"50 yen."

Killua fished out some money that Gon didn't even know he had and handed it over. Killua took his ice cream bowl and walked over to a booth.

Gon akwardly searched his pockets for some spare yen. His hand brushed across some and he took it out, deflating. It was only 5. Nevertheless, he dropped it in the tip jar with an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry I can't give you more. Thank you!" he grabbed his bowl and dashed over to where Killua was already digging in.

Gon sat down across from him and observed him. He was a little more into his ice cream than usual.

_ 'Maybe he hasn't had any sugar today and whatever really happened wore him down.' _ he thought absentmindedly, before speaking up.

"Killua?"

"Yeah?" Killua swallowed a bite.

"What really happened to you?"

Killua froze, gripping the spoon tighter before sighing. "There really is no point in lying to you, is there?"

"..."

"...A girl found me," Killua finally spoke. "She wanted to spar me so we did and she won. She said she was gonna be our teacher and we gotta meet her at dawn tomorrow."

"And you're just now telling me this?!"

"Mm." Killua continued to eat his ice cream.

Gon sighed and looked at him sadly. "When we get home, let me patch you up."

"Ehh?"

"You're badly hurt, Killua."

Killua looked like he wanted to argue, but relented, nodding.

"Alright."

~

"Oh dear, Illumi, do you know where we are?" Hisoka asked. Illumi looked around. "Not too far from Zaban city. And Yorknew is still halfway across the country."

"That's such a long walk," Hisoka pouted.

"Yes, well, the airports will be closed because of that bomb, so we're going to have to deal with it."

"Do you want me to look for the one responsible for the bomb?" Hisoka asked with a grin.

"No. They are probably dead now. And they aren't our concern anyway." Illumi turned and walked. "Let's go."

Hisoka smirked.  _ 'We're getting closer...Gon, Killua...'  _ he licked his lips.

_ 'We're coming.' _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woohoo! I'm really pumped guys! We're VERY CLOSE to finishing the 2nd of 3 plots on here!! ^_^ That being said, I don't know for sure how many chapters there will be, but it's Probably gonna be under 40. So I hope you stick around for that!  
> ALSO!!! Yes, Gon is 108lbs. I looked up his profile and it said 49kg and that estimates to 108lbs. The more ya know!


	25. Going over what we know

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leorio snaps.  
> Kurapika thinks about everything that's happened.  
> Gon and Killua make it home.  
> Killua introduces Gon to Biscuit.  
> Alluka makes a friend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AAHHHH I'M BAAACK!!! AND WITH MY DIPLOMA AS WELL!!!! :D been studying like nonstop, and since summer break is here, I should be able to update more!! I PROMISE I WILL FINISH THIS STORY!!! I won't let yall down! :D

 

Throughout the entire day, Leorio worried about Kurapika. Worried about his health, his mental state, his physical condition...he knew Kurapika can hide his wounds from him. Last year for example, Leorio and Kurapika were fooling around in bed, cuddling and giggling until Leorio's hand slipped and pressed against Kurapika's side. If the ever so slight audible hiss wasn't obvious enough, Leorio had felt something rough under that thin white shirt of his, and found out (after several minutes of fighting) that Kurapika had received a stab wound the day his boss Dalzollene died. Thankfully, Leorio was able to treat it properly.

Anyway...his worry only grew when he saw Kurapika walk in the apartment, looking tired.

"Kurapika, you should get some rest. I'll make the kids some mac'n'cheese," Leorio said gently. Kurapika shook his head. "I can make dinner. But afterwards I have to go out and search for the Phantom Troupe."

Leorio's brow twitched.

"No, Kurapika. That can wait. Right now, you are gonna lay down on that couch and take a nap until dinner."

"Leorio, I can't! I have to-"

"YOU HAVE TO  _ WHAT _ ?! LOOK FOR THE TOUGHEST GANG IN YORKNEW?! THEY KILLED YOUR ENTIRE CLAN, AND YOU THINK YOU CAN TAKE THEM?!"

"I  _ know  _ I can take them."

"JUST BECAUSE YOU'RE THE HEAD OF BODYGUARDS DOESN'T MAKE YOU INVINCIBLE. FACING THE TROUPE ISN'T GONNA DO YOU ANY GOOD IF YOU DON'T GIVE YOUR BODY A DAMN REST!!"

"Leorio, I killed one of them."

"...What?"

"I...I killed one of the members of the Phantom Troupe."

A moment of silence. And then...

"THAT'S EVEN MORE OF A REASON NOT TO GO UP AGAINST THEM!! THEY'RE GONNA BE AFTER YOU!"

"They don't know where I am, Leorio."

"DAMMIT KURAPIKA THAT'S NOT THE POINT!! JUST LISTEN TO ME!!" Leorio swung his arm forward. Kurapika caught his fist and pushed it away halfheartedly. "I'm not so lost I need you to punch me."

"WHAT?"

"I know what I'm doing, Leorio. Can't you just trust me?"

"Kurapika, you're my boyfriend. I love you. That's why I'm stopping you. If you want to face the Troupe, fine. I can't stop your vengeance. But dammit I will do everything in my power to make sure you get some goddamn rest! Your body needs it. If you don't get some rest, you'll end up sick. You need to learn you ARE NOT ALONE. You have me, Gon, and Killua!! So stop doing everything by yourself and let us help you, dammit!!" And with that, he shoved the shocked blonde on the couch and stormed into the kitchen.

~

Kurapika had no idea what to say. Leorio was most likely going to be sulking while trying to cook.

Was it true though? Was he really not alone? He couldn't bring himself to believe it. All of this happened, and he felt as though he were a kid again. Lost, alone in the world, unable to confide with an adult figure he could truly look up to. When Kurapika was little, he remembered whenever he was upset, he would eventually turn to his parents and just let them hug him, reassuring everything would be okay. That he can get over whatever was wrong.

His mother was a supportive and energetic woman, Kurapika missed her hugs, her lullabies she'd sing when he couldn't sleep, her cooking...everything.

His father was more of a quiet and cautious man, constantly thinking things through and would walk around Lukso Province with him, telling stories about when he was a kid. Like Kurapika missed his mothers hugs, he missed the way his father used to pat his head and tell him he was proud to be his father.

But now, he didn't have that. He has a boyfriend, a doctor. And two kids he'd taken in.

_ 'Why...why did I take them in?'  _ Kurapika thought absently. But the answer was simple. He knew it.

From the moment Kurapika found Gon and Killua, the look in their eyes reminded him of someone. Their eyes were guarded, cautious, ready to fight if need be. Gon's eyes were abit more innocent though, as if he was still hoping for something better. Killua's eyes, however, had displayed wariness, hurt, anger...

They were like him.

Alone in the world, only clinging desperately to eachother for survival. And to be so young at that...Kurapika shook his head. He didn't want anyone to be alone like he was. Especially Leorio, Gon, or Killua. They were his everything. Without them, Kurapika isn't sure what he'd do. So he was determined to make sure they knew they weren't alone, that he would always be there.

So, why did he find it so hard to believe he wasn't alone?

Maybe because they don't understand the pain of losing so many people they care for. It was a loss that sent him into a depression beyond depression.

But he had Leorio. He had Gon. He had Killua. And from what Kurapika has seen, they weren't going anywhere.

With a sigh, Kurapika got up and walked to the kitchen, blinking at Leorio's hunched over figure. His back was towards him, so he couldn't see his face.

He approached his tall boyfriend and wrapped his arms around his waist from behind, resting his forehead on his back. "I'm sorry," he said softly.

"..."

"I haven't been the best boyfriend. I've been selfish and rude. Only thinking about my own desires. My own goals that would probably just disappoint and dishonor my clan. I promised...we'd be together and I'd always confide to you if something bothered me, but I've only withdrawn."

"..."

"...Will you forgive me?"

Leorio carefully plucked Kurapika's arms off of him and turned to face him, looking down. Kurapika looked up to meet his gaze. Leorio sighed quietly and put a hand to Kurapika's head. "Of course I do."

Kurapika thought of how his father did the same thing.

"And...you're not dishonoring your clan, Kurapika. I'm sure they're aware of your determination to bring them peace. I'd say they'd only be disappointed if you didn't give yourself a rest."

"...Yes. I suppose you're right," Kurapika replied, "thank you, Leorio."

This time, it was Leorio who pulled Kurapika in, hugging him close. It was a little awkward, considering the top of Kurapika's head could barely reach his chest. Kurapika closed his eyes as he ever so slightly inhaled Leorio's faded cologne, masked along with smoke. It was comforting. He felt warm and pleasant. Not that he'd tell Leorio that. But somehow, he believed Leorio knew.

"Anytime. Now go get rest before I knock you out," Leorio said lightly.

Kurapika laughed softly, for the first time in...how long? He didn't remember.

"As if you could. But I will." Kurapika stood on his tiptoes, Leorio took cue immediately and leaned over, their lips meeting for afew seconds before pulling away seconds later. Kurapika started to walk back to the couch, but Leorio had different plans. He steered Kurapika to the bedroom.

"But-"

"No buts. Gon and Killua will understand," Leorio's firm tone left no room for arguments, so Kurapika humored him.

"Alright."

Leorio watched Kurapika take his tabard off and lay it on the chair, kicking his flats off and climbing gingerly in bed.

And with that, Kurapika was out in an instant, finally getting some proper rest.

~

Shortly after Gon and Killua got home, Leorio set down a bowl of mac'n'cheese for them, which they promptly dug into, despite having ice cream only an hour ago.

"Gon, Killua, I'm gonna ask you to sleep on the couch tonight. I persuaded Kurapika to get some proper rest. He's sleeping on the bed now."

"Okay," Gon replied instantly. He didn't mind.

"Whatever," Killua shrugged. He didn't care.

As they ate, Leorio observed them. Gon could feel his eyes watching their every movement.

"Killua, are you okay? You're bleeding..."

"I'm fi-"

"He's not fine," Gon cut him off, giving Killua a stern glare. Killua looked startled for a split second before scowling.

"What happened?" Leorio sounded worried.

"Sparring match," Killua dismissed. Leorio made a choking sound in disbelief. "Seriously?"

Killua nodded, face solemn.

"But who could be strong enough to even beat you?" Leorio questioned.

"Some hag. Don't worry about it. Gon's gonna patch me up," Killua waved him off.

At the mention of his name, Gon perked up and looked at Killua, who refused to look at him. He frowned. He didn't do anything wrong, did he? ...No. He couldn't have. If he did, Killua would whack his head, call him an idiot, lecture him, call him an idiot again, then walk away. That's how he was. He wouldn't just shy away from anything he did. So whoever beat him must've really put him to shame.

At least, that's what he figures anyway.

Gon was so lost in thought he hadn't notice Leorio get up and leave to bring over a first aid kit. Gon grabbed Killua's hand and pulled him to the couch, taking out a bottle of peroxide and gently moving Killua's fluffy white bangs out of the way.

"This might sting," Gon warned.

Killua rolled his eyes. "Just do it, idiot. I'm not a child."

So, Gon carefully sprayed the peroxide on his forehead. Killua didn't even blink, even as Gon put a large bandaid on his forehead to help it before dropping his bangs back down.

White, fluffy hair fell back into Killua's face, and Gon found himself blushing lightly. Killua was just so...well, pretty. He was everything to Gon. He was his best friend. His heart. His soul. His other half.

Gon shook these thoughts from his head quickly and examined him. "Is there anywhere else that hurts?" he asked.

"Nah, not really."

"Are you sure..?" Gon asked softly. Killua's face dusted a light shade of pink and muttered, "yeah, I'm sure."

Gon studied him, before nodding slowly. "Alright...I believe you...but if it hurts anywhere else, tell me immediately, okay?"

"Fine."

Gon's face brightened again. He hoped Killua would start listening more, but just hearing the acknowledgment made him happy. He tugged at Killua's arm. "Come on! Let's go to sleep! We gotta get up early soon, right? Right?"

"Yeah, yeah," Killua followed him to the couch. Gon grabbed the blanket as Killua laid down, arms crossed behind his head. There really wasn't much room.

And Gon really didn't want to sleep on the floor when he had to get up and train so early in the morning...

So, Gon ended up jumping and landing directly on top of Killua. Killua made a choked noise of surprise, sapphire blue eyes darting to the smaller spiky haired boy who grinned his sunny grin when he noticed Killua looking at him. No, he was glaring. But that didn't deter Gon in the slightest. Of course not.

"Ohh no. No. You aren't sleeping on me," Killua said, face bright pink. Gon pouted, his bottom lip jutting out. "But Killuaaaaa," he whined. But Killua knew from experience that Gon wasn't even upset. The little bastard knew how to make Killua crack.

"That's not gonna work this time, get off before I throw you off."

"You wouldn't do that!"

"I would!"

"Prove it!"

"Alright I will!"

"Then do it!"

"I will!"

But Killua made no movement. He  _ knew  _ if he threw him off, Gon would hit his head on the table (not that it would matter, the boy's head was hard as a rock), and then just climb back on him. Gon knew all this too, and he was grinning almost smugly at Killua's no-win situation. Bastard.

"Anyway! Since you aren't throwing me off, I'm gonna get some sleep! Goodnight Killua~" he all but sang and before  _ cuddling  _ into him and falling asleep almost instantly.

_ 'Well Gon, I'm not getting sleep anytime soon,'  _ Killua thought bitterly as he gazed at Gon's peaceful features. It was the only time Gon looked...well, peaceful. Not too happy, not serious, not sad...his eyelashes, long and dark, curled on his tan face. It was almost feminine. It was so beautiful...

Killua mentally shook his head quickly.

_ Fuck these thoughts. _

~

When Killua woke up, Gon was already awake, staring at him with his large honey brown sparkling eyes.

"O-oi! Gon! What the hell? If you were awake you should've gotten off of me! Idiot!" Killua snapped, face blushing bright red instantly. Gon's brows furrowed.

"Well, I tried to. But everytime I tried, you'd hold me really tight..."

"..."

True to his word, Killua's pale arms were wrapped tightly around Gon's waist, pinning him there.

Killua made a choked noise of genuine surprise and horror and all but threw Gon off of him. Gon hit his head on the table.

"Owww! Killuaaaaa!" he whined.

"Idiot!" Killua sat up, huffing.

"But how am I an idiot? What'd I do?" Gon looked confused.

"You didn't have to watch me sleep! Idiot!"

"Stop calling me an idiot!" Gon grabbed a pillow and thew it at him, which Killua caught with ease before throwing it back. Gon stood and caught it, throwing it back.

This went on for a minute before Leorio came out of the bedroom, hair frazzled and his sunglasses off. "Hey, hey. We're trying to sleep," he grumbled.

The boys paused.

"Sorry Leorio," Gon chirped innocently.

Killua rolled his eyes before walking over to where his bag was, picking out a light tank top and another pair of black shorts. "Oi, Gon. We gotta go."

"Oh! Right!" Gon leaped up and grabbed a white tank top. As they left, they each took a banana and ran out, tossing the peels in a trash bin outside.

Killua lead the way to where Biscuit would surely be waiting. The sun was rising quicker, making Killua realize they were late. He bit his tongue, worried about what Bisky would do when she saw them.

The moment they arrived at the outskirts of town, Bisky stormed over. "Didn't I tell you to be here at dawn? Why are you late?" she demanded.

Gon gulped.

"We live across town and then there's all those miles to run! It's not our fault you old hag-"

Before Killua could finish, Bisky's fist contacted his chin in an uppercut, making him fly in the air. Gon watched with huge eyes. Bisky turned to him sharply, making him jump. She studied him. "You must be Gon. Killua vouched for you."

"Y-yeah, I'm Gon..."

Killua stood from where he landed, rubbing his already bruising chin.

Bisky pointed at them. "Alright! For being late, and talking back, both of you do 10,000 pushups and 10,000 sit-ups!"

"SERIOUSLY?" they shouted.

"Well if you're strong as you say, this should be no problem. Hop to it now. You have a busy day today. Now start! Or else I'll make it 15,000 each!"

Both boys jumped in fear and quickly dropped to do the pushups.

"1, 2, 3, 4, 5..."

~

Alluka laid on her back in the isolation room, black spots dancing in her vision. The black spots eventually dropped to two, right next to eachother, and a face appeared. She blinked, believing she was hallucinating. But the face didn't go away.

"Who are you..?" Alluka mumbled out, blood spitting from her split lip.

The face said nothing.

"Are you heeeere to killlll meeee?"

The figure shook its head and formed a body, just like hers and stood on the ground, where Alluka looked at it weakly. Finally, after several minutes, Alluka broke. "So who are you?"

Several more minutes later, the figure finally spoke to her.

"Nanika."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I AM SO SORRY IT TOOK ME SO LONG TO UPDATE!!! I got busy with orientation stuff for college and I kinda had writers block after Kurapika's part. BUT I WILL HONESTLY TRY MORE!!! I LEXI SWEAR IT! But hey! At least this chapter is abit longer than my others!! ...Not that yall care about that XD


	26. The Training Begins

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kurapika wakes and thinks things through.  
> Killua and Gon begin their training.  
> Gon realizes there's more to nen than what Wing taught them.  
> Hisoka daydreams as he and Illumi get closer to Yorknew.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I AM SO SORRY! I'M EXPERIENCING SEVERE WRITERS BLOCK AND LAZINESS! I know I keep saying I'll update more and then I stop for like a month! Ack! Okay, for sure now, I cannot guarantee quick updates or that I'll finish before college starts, but I do mean it when I say I WILL finish this!

 

Kurapika woke up, feeling strangely refreshed, before realizing he was in his bed. He blinked in confusion before remembering last nights events. Last night...when Leorio snapped and Kurapika swallowed some of his pride to apologize and admit his faults to his own boyfriend. Yes, it hadn't been easy to do so, but Kurapika didn't want to lose him again. He'd been absolutely miserable when they broke up shortly after he brought Gon and Killua home. Very shortly. And to think, if he hadn't brought them in, there would be a ring on Kurapika's finger as he made wedding plans with Leorio and Melody, he'd have his coworkers and his boss come.

Well, maybe not.

But Kurapika could've very well been happy. He could've just left the kids zonked out. He didn't have to go through hell and back for them. Originally, he just wanted to make sure they were okay, but one look in their eyes broke him. Loss. Desperation. Confusion. Hope.

He couldn't leave obviously starving children out, especially with nowhere to go. No, Kurapika wasn't heartless.

And Kurapika realized the moment Leorio had slammed the door why he was so upset. It was necessarily Gon and Killua, it was the fact he was forgotten, a couple kids over him, on the night he planned on asking Kurapika to spend the rest of his life with him. But Kurapika had been blinded, he wanted, and still wants, the kids to be safe and happy, and damn it all to hell if he'd let anyone try to ruin that.

Memories of when he spoke to Gon flooded his mind. He'd told him they were being hunted down, by a magician and his psychotic, manipulative boyfriend, who just so happened to be Killua's brother.

Kurapika's brows furrowed. They were running away for a reason, and they seemed horrified at the very idea of running into said magician and his boyfriend.

He had to look into this.

Kurapika got out of bed and finger combed his hair and walked out of the room, only to see Leorio, Killua and Gon all gone.

Leorio probably went to work, but where the kids went was beyond him. However he had confidence they were okay.

He walked back to the room and took a nice, hot shower, drying off and getting dressed when he finished. Afterwards, he grabbed his bag, and left for work.

~

"9,998...9,999...10,000!" Gon and Killua gasped and dropped, panting and sweating, their arms sore.

"Hope you're up for some more muscle work! Because that's what you're gonna be doing until its all finished!" Biscuit announced with a smile that Killua was positive was hiding malicious intent of making them work until they drop.

"Which is..?" Killua asked breathlessly, sitting up. Bisky walked behind a huge rock and dug around before coming back, holding two shovels with a smile. "You're going right back to Yorknew. Only this time, we're going straight through."

"W-wait, it took us two hours just to get here, and we were running," Gon said nervously. Bisky looked at him, eyebrows raised. "So?"

"B-Bisky, we're tired."

"And? You came here to train right?" Bisky tossed them the shovels, landing mere feet away from them. Killua picked his up and stood. "Yeah, but isn't this excessive?"

Bisky burst out laughing.

"You think _this_ is excessive? If you trained how I did, you wouldn't last five minutes," she giggled. "And I was only a couple years older than you two are."

Both boys began to sweat more.

Bisky pointed at them, face dropping back to being stern. "Now get digging! Or else you'll do even more push ups!"

"YES MAM!" both grabbed their shovels tightly and ran to the nearest giant rock-like cliff and slammed their shovels in, yanking them out and tossing the dirt and rocks to the side.

Bisky stood back several meters and watched, smiling as they struggled.

Two hours had passed by the time they finished the first rock. The collapsed, panting and gasping.

"We...did it..." Killua gasped out. Gon couldn't even answer.

Bisky walked through the tunnel they made and stood above them, hands on her hips. "You finished one. There's still a long way to go," she pointed ahead.

"No way..." Killua groaned.

~

Gon wanted to leave. He wanted to have a drink of water, but it didn't look like Bisky had anything of the sort. He sighed and stood up with Killua, picking up his shovel and moving to the next rock, Killua following in suit.

Gon's brows furrowed as he yanked at the shovel, before slowly getting an idea. He stopped and focused his aura on his hands to the shovel. He waited for a moment.

"Oi, Gon, come on. If you don't help me, it'll take longer for us to do," Killua scolded.

"Killua!"

Killua jumped in surprise and looked at him.

"Try focusing your aura onto the shovel!"

Killua blinked before looking at his shovel and focused, slowly having his aura spread to his shovel. They both slammed their shovels in, nearly falling in surprise.

"WOAH! IT'S SOFT AS PUDDING!" Gon shouted excitedly as both boys began to pick up speed. Bisky followed them, unbeknownst to them, she was smiling, shocked yet very proud they picked up on both ko and shu so quickly.

When they finished the rock they were on, Bisky walked over to them. "You did very good, boys. Do you know what you just did?" she questioned.

"Um...well we focused our aura on our hands then extended it to the shovels!" Gon replied with an embarrassed smile.

"And you learned another type of nen."

"We did?"

"Yep. When you focus your aura into one specific spot in your body, say, your hands for example, it is known as _ko._ When you manage to send your aura to an object, like you did your shovel, that is known as _shu._ "

"Woah," Gon and Killua shared proud smiles.

"Alright, back to work! We'll take a break around noon."

"Okay!"

~

Hisoka and Illumi skipped through the woods, headed closer to Yorknew city...well, Hisoka skipped. Illumi walked stiffly, as per usual.

"Oh Gon~ Killua~!" Hisoka called, licking his lips. No answer. As to be expected.

Hisoka thought nothing of it, instead imagined finding Gon and Killua. They'd try futilely to resist. They'd force them to walk infront of them so they wouldn't escape behind them. Not that that'd be an issue. They could get caught easily. No sweat.

Hisoka's yellow eyes flashed, imaging what they'd look like as he walked behind them, with Gon wearing his short tightened green shorts, and Killua wearing his loose basketball styled black shorts. He grinned.

"Stop being a creep." Illumi said in a monotone voice.

"How could you possibly know what I was thinking, Illumi dear?"

"I can tell by your facial expressions," Illumi replied coolly.

Hisoka could only grin, making Illumi shake his head. He still questioned why he was so attached to this redheaded perverted, idiot.

"So how much farther until we reach Yorknew?" Hisoka asked with a playful grin. Yep. _Playful._

Illumi looked at his phone and brought up the maps, mentally doing the calculations before slipping it back into his pocket.

"We should be arriving in Yorknew tomorrow night."

Hisoka's eyes gleamed in almost demonic excitement. "So close, and yet so far!" he sighed.

Illumi could only nod and looked forward, face finally showing a little emotion.

"If not tomorrow night, then the morning after for sure."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I AM SO SO SO SO SO SORRY IT'S SO SHORT, BUT MY INTERNET IS BEING A BITCH!!!! ...Plus I think I progressed too quickly with Gon and Killua's training, but yeah. Put those two together and ya got a short chapter. But at least it was 1254 words. Which isn't toooooo bad. It's just like, 600-800 words less than usual. I hope you enjoyed this chapter anyway! When my internet isn't a dickhead, I'll do my best to update quickly, since this one was so short.


	27. Harsh Truths

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gon thinks of nen techniques.  
> Kurapika and Melody have a heart-to-heart.  
> The Zoldyck family talks about Killua.  
> Killua gets his technique figured out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welp. Here we are. I have no true excuse. My internet has been back for 2 weeks now, so...yeah…

 

"WOOHOO! WE DID IT!" Gon shouted in glee as they kicked through their 40th rock and high fived Killua.

"Good job, boys. Now would be a good opportunity to rest. You can't overexert yourself." Biscuit said. The boys flopped down in relief.

"Now instead of this physical exercise...we will be going over nen."

"Haaa? Really?" Gon whined as Killua sat up with a scowl. "Come on, you really expect us to give it our best? We're exhausted! We didn't have the training you did back when you were young, you old hag-"

PUNCH.

Killua flew up in the air from a direct uppercut by Biscuit. She put her hands on her hips crossly as Killua slammed back on the ground. Gon watched fearfully.

"Now then. As I was saying. Everyone has a special ability with their nen," Bisky began.

"A special ability?" Gon echoed.

Bisky nodded. "Mhm. And I want you boys to think of something. If you do, it'll make fighting a whole lot easier. Especially for you, Killua. You mentioned when we were sparring you were a transmuter, right? Without any special ability, you're a little defenseless."

"D-defenseless?!" Killua glowered at her. Bisky paid no attention, she just kept going on. "Yes. And Gon, you're an enhancer, am I right?"

"How'd you know?" Gon asked in amazement.

"I've learned nen 40 years ago, I can tell what's going on by now," she laughed innocently, but both boys could tell by now she was far from innocent. "Now, first things first. In order to figure out a special ability, why don't you first-"

"I got it."

Bisky and Gon turned to Killua. Killua stared ahead blankly. "But I can only do it on my own. Bisky. Let me go into town and when I get back, I'll have my ability."

Bisky studied him for a moment, then nodded. "Fine. But be back here in 2 hours! Got it?"

"Yeah." Killua turned and started to walk away. Gon jumped to his feet and waved with one arm. "Bye Killua! I'll see you soon!" he called.

Killua held a hand up and waved without looking back. Gon turned to Bisky, who had a faint smile resting on her face.

"Bisky? What were you saying about special abilities?" he questioned. Bisky jolted and turned to Gon. "Right. So with a special ability, you'll be able to attack your opponent with more than your basic power. Do you have any ideas?"

Gon stared at her, then steam slowly came from his ears and he sunk down thoughtfully.

Bisky crouched down with a frown. "So, you don't have any ideas."

"No...but um...I want it to be powerful!" Gon stuttered as Bisky sighed and stood back up. "I'll give you some time then. But try to have an idea within 4 hours. When Killua gets back, you'll both show me what you got, and then we'll continue going back to Yorknew."

"But Bisky, I don't know if I can! Give me a hint! Please!" he begged. Bisky crossed her arms. "Let's see. How about work on everything you learned at once? That's what I tell my students."

"Everything...but..." Gon's brows furrowed. "But everything at once...I can't hide my aura and bring it out at the same time!" he flopped down facefirst with a loud whine of confusion. Bisky only sat down at a rock and watched him, not saying a word.

"Hm...everything...oh!" Gon leaped up with a big grin. "I remember! Gyo! I focus my aura in my eyes!" he used gyo, then looked at his fist.

_'If I can focus all of my aura in my eyes...it should be possible to do the same thing with my fist, right?'_

Gon took a deep breath and stared at his fist, focusing until he saw some light forming into a ball. Gon grinned. "Alright-!"

FLOP.

The force of his aura and lack of concentration immediately had him falling and landing on his back. _'It's possible. I just gotta keep my focus!'_

Bisky stared at him in amazement. "Good job, Gon. I want you to continue concentrating on your aura, then when you show me your ability, give it all you got."

"Alright!"

~

Melody was the only one at the Nostrade home. Apparently, Neon dragged the others shopping, but let Melody stay behind so she could watch over Kurapika as they do perimeter checks to make sure no bandits come and wreck the place.

"So how is everyone?" Melody asked in her soft voice.

"They're doing fine."

"That's good..."

They continued walking around in silence for a moment, before Melody asked in a softer tone, "and what about you? How are you doing?"

"I'm fine."

"Kurapika..." she looked at his with a frown. Kurapika looked at her and gave her a small, but genuine smile. "No, really. I have everything in control with Leorio as well as Gon and Killua, and I was even able to get a good night sleep."

"That's good," Melody smiled encouragingly. Kurapika gave a small smile and nodded. It was quiet, but it was peaceful. All tension practically non-existent.

"Melody." Kurapika spoke after afew minutes.

"Hm?"

"I want to apologize for my rude behavior the other day. I was unnecessarily harsh. I'm sorry."

"Oh, Kurapika," Melody smiled again. "Your heart was distressed. It was full of sadness, regret, and hatred. I knew you just needed time. I accept your apology," she looked up at him. Kurapika blinked in surprise, before his face softened. "You're too nice sometimes."

"Maybe."

Another moment of silence, before Melody spoke up again. "What's troubling you? You have something on your mind."

Kurapika stopped walking. Melody stopped right after. Kurapika took a deep breath and smiled wistfully. "There really is no way to get around you, is there?" his question made Melody laugh before he continued. "It's just...well, along with defeating the Phantom Troupe, I have to help Gon and Killua...evidently, Killua has a brother who has a magician as a boyfriend, who is currently looking for him. I'm...worried. He's terrified, from what I'm aware of. I'm not sure what to do, how to help. I...I want to help them but..." Kurapika clenched his fists tightly.

"I understand. The best you can do is be there, try to keep an eye on them, I hope it turns out well in the end." she said with a sympathetic look on her face. Kurapika gave one small nod before asking, "how's your search on the Sonata of Darkness?"

Melody seemed to mull over whether to tell him or not, but in the end she turned, answering almost inaudibly. "Nothing so far."

Kurapika didn't say anything. There wasn't anything to say.

"Well, let's keep patrolling. We shouldn't slack off," Melody chuckled. Kurapika closed his eyes with his rare smile.

"I suppose not."

~

"I can't believe it's taking so long to find Killua," Kikyo said crossly. "We must have patience. Illumi has him pinned to Yorknew. It shouldn't take long at this point. He'll be in our possession in afew days." Silva replied.

"Mama, are we going to use the whip?" Milluki asked.

"Of course! That troublesome child needs to be taught a lesson!" Kikyo huffed.

"And his friend?" Milluki now looked entertained. He knew, without a doubt, that Killua cared for his friend more than anything. Killua could take the physical abuse. But the psychological abuse, knowing they were hurting his friend, would definitely be worse. And dammit, when Milluki gets his hits in, he'll make sure he breaks Killua...by breaking Gon. And he had no problem with it. He loathed Killua. He's taunted him about breaking his figurines. He cheated everytime they played the online video game _Greed Island_. He's bribed Milluki to let him go out when Silva and Kikyo were out. Sure, Zeno knew, but he's never said anything. He may be all up for hunting down Killua, but lately he's been more withdrawn. Milluki couldn't fathom it, so he brushed it off as old age.

"Is there truly...a sole purpose to having Killua?" Zeno asked out of the blue.

"Of course there is! He's the family heir to our business! But he gets into so much trouble! He needs as much discipline as possible! And if he doesn't learn quickly, who knows what atrocity will happen to our business!" Kikyo all but shrieked.

"You have more than one son, Kikyo," Zeno pointed out.

"Zeno. Are you starting to side with Killua?" Silva asked in a low tone. Zeno closed his eyes. "I never said anything of the sort. I'm just questioning why someone like Killua would want the business. Looking more into this, I realize, if someone like him were to take the business over, wouldn't he wreck havoc in an act of rebellion?"

"That's what discipline is for! We will raise that child into a fully mature grown man! It's that boy who got in our way! He must suffer! Feel the pain he has caused! Without him, Killua wouldn't have run away!" Kikyo's voice was raising with every word.

"Actually, he ran away because of you," Zeno said calmly.

Kikyo's jaw dropped.

"Are you accusing me of driving away my own son?!"

"I'm not accusing. I'm pointing out the facts. You should just leave his friend out of this. This is a family matter, we don't need unnecessary casualties." Zeno retorted.

Kikyo began to stutter out a snarky remark, but Zeno just walked out, his hands behind his back.

"We aren't gonna listen to him, are we mama?" Milluki asked. Kikyo shook her head vigorously. "Of course not. Milluki! This is a direct order from me!" she snapped.

Milluki looked at her expectantly.

"When they're brought back, I want you to break him. Break his friend Gon, until Killua understands and accepts his duty as heir of business. Kill him if necessary. I don't care. As long as that wretched cretin is out of Killua's life, we will be fine."

Even though she was quite cruel, Milluki still, quite willingly, nodded with a smirk.

"I will. And you better believe I'll have Killua wishing he never even considered running away."

~

Killua jogged back to Yorknew city, looking around for a certain shop. Unfortunately, his sense of direction wasn't exactly the greatest. Hell, even with a map, Killua sucked with directions. He wandered around the city with his brows furrowed.

 _'Dammit. If I don't find it, I won't make it back in time, and then Bisky will...'_ Killua paled. He didn't want to think about what Bisky would do if he was late _again._ But he had the feeling if he was, his face would be one big bruise. And frankly, he'd rather not have his face looking purple.

After several minutes of wandering around, he finally found the place he'd been looking for. He ran inside, seeing a bald man behind the counter.

"Hey! You got a taser?" Killua called without missing a beat.

The man, whose name tag read _Hanzo,_ looked up. "I have every weapon in the book here. Swords, knives, guns, tasers, you name it, I have it. Bur you look a little too young to be buying a weapon. Come back when you're 18 or older."

Killua ran up to the counter, slamming his hands down. "Look! I'm not here to buy anything! I just need to use it really quickly! I'll pay for using it!"

"Why would a child like you need to use it? Give me a good reason, and I'll let you borrow it. In the store."

Killua clenched his teeth. "I'm not going to be using it maliciously. People can get over being tased eventually."

Hanzo's brow twitched.

"Just let me use it!"

"In order to use it, you have to pay with 1,000 yen."

"WHAT A RIPOFF!" Killua shouted, irritated. He didn't have the money for that!

"Then I guess you can't use it."

"Uhh..." Killua thought quickly, before getting an idea.

"Put it on Leorio Paladiknight's tab! He'll pay for it! He's my guardian! He's an honest person, he'll pay for sure!" Killua blurted.

"And you're sure about that?" Hanzo asked suspiciously. Killua nodded fervently. Hanzo sighed and walked to his right side, with Killua following in suit. Hanzo scanned through the mass of weapons and took out a small but rough looking taser. "Will this do?"

"As long as it works good." Killua took it from him.

_'Now I just have to focus on my aura...bring it out...'_

The moment Killua could feel his aura, he slammed the taser on his arm, immediately sending powerful volts to his body.

"H-HEY! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! ARE YOU INSANE?!" Hanzo shouted.

 _'Clench your teeth through it, Killua Zoldyck!'_ Killua thought through the powerful haze of pain. After a minute, he dropped the taser, panting.

"What the hell, kid?! Why would you do that?!" Hanzo asked frantically.

Killua ignored him, in favor of bringing his hands together, holding his index fingers out pointed at eachother, his sapphire blue eyes staring intensely. Mere moments later, a spark of electricity jolted between them. Killua couldn't stop the large grin forming his face. "Well, it looks like it worked." he said and slowly spread his arms, more and more electricity coming from him. Hanzo stared in shock and amazement. From the look on his face, Killua could guess he too was a nen user. Not that it mattered. What mattered now was going back to Gon and Bisky.

_'Alright, Gon. You better have figured out what your technique is gonna be.'_

Electricity surrounded the white haired boy as his grin turned into a smirk.

_'Because I'm leaving you behind if you haven't!'_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, now Hanzo has made an appearance! ...Yeah he really isn't significant. He's only present this chapter and only mentioned in another. :P I hope you enjoyed this! Comments are greatly appreciated!! HINT HINT.


	28. The Arrival

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Killua and Gon show Bisky their technique.  
> Hisoka and Illumi make it to Yorknew.  
> Gon gets a bad feeling in his gut.  
> Kurapika gets a surprise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ACK GUYS I AM SO SO SO SO SORRY, COLLEGE HAS STARTED AND IT KEEPS ME SUPER BUSY!!!! PLEASE FORGIVE ME!!!!

 

"Oh, Killua, you're back. Right on time for once," Bisky added with a small smirk. Killua scoffed. "Whatever, old hag-"

PUNCH. And Killua went flying.

Gon stared with an awkward smile as Killua landed facefirst on the ground.

"Hmph. You were saying?" Bisky put her hands on her hips.

"Agh...I was saying you're gonna be impressed at my nen technique," Killua grunted as he got up, rubbing his head and wincing. Bisky cocked an eyebrow and sat down on a nearby rock. "Oh? By all means, please do demonstrate your nen," she said. Killua nodded and leaped to his feet as Gon flopped down next to Bisky on the rock, watching Killua intently, honey brown eyes wide and curious.

"Alright," Killua put his fingers inches apart and focused.

The other two waited patiently.

A minute passed.

Then, outta nowhere, electricity began to zap from his fingers. Killua slowly began expanding his arms, allowing the electricity to grow.

"Woooah! Killua that's so cool!" Gon cheered, leaping up and clasping his hands together, eyes sparkling in admiration. Killua smirked and let it zap around him before letting it go, he stuffed his hands in his pockets and beamed as Gon continued to cheer and praise him.

Bisky stared at him, eyes hard.

"Is something wrong, Bisky? Killua did great!" Gon exclaimed.

Biscuit was silent for a moment but shook her head. "No, it's nothing. You passed, Killua. Gon, its your turn. I hope you improved."

Killua exchanged spots with Gon as Gon leaped over to a nearby rock cliff, bouncing in his boots. "Yeah! I did! And I even got an idea! ...Of course, I haven't tried it yet, but it might work!" he said with a smile. Bisky sighed and Killua dropped his head in defeat.

_'It looks like I'm leaving him behind.'_

Gon's happy expression went to serious and focused. He pulled his hands back.

"Jan...ken..."

Bisky rose her eyebrows in surprise and leaned forward, intrigued.

"GUUUU!" Gon threw his aura filled fist forward to the rock, smashing it to bits.

Killua blinked and whistled lowly.

"Hm. Rock, paper, scissors, huh? I never would've expected it, though I probably should have, it's very childlike, but its so  _you._ And pretty useful in a fight, considering rock, paper, scissors was originally a form of martial arts. I'm impressed you knew that," she said thoughtfully.

"Whaaa?! It was?! That's so cool!" Gon said in amazement, a big smile etching across his face.

"You...didn't know," Bisky sweatdropped.

"Nope!"

"Don't bother, when it comes to this stuff, he's oblivious," Killua muttered to her.

"Hey! Am not!" Gon whined.

"Are too!"

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

"AM NOT!"

"ARE TOO!"

"BOYS!" Bisky whacked both their heads. They yelped and fell forward. "It doesn't matter. What matters is you have your techniques. When you get back to Yorknew, I want you to practice on your technique until you feel like you mastered it, am I understood?"

"Yes Bisky."

"Good, now..." Bisky handed them their shovels and smiled almost smugly.

"Get back to digging!"

~

"Look, I spot a city!" Hisoka sang as he crouched on a tree, fingers curled into a circle as if looking through a telescope.

"Yorknew city. That's where Killua and Gon are. They have nowhere to run now. It shouldn't take too long to find them. I'd estimate a day at most," Illumi said as Hisoka hopped down and landed almost gracefully next to him. "Oooh, how delightful..." Hisoka licked his lips and grinned. "I wonder how much stronger they've gotten~ what kind of look they'll give me...ohhh," Hisoka moaned. "I'm getting turned on, Illumi dear!"

"Keep it to yourself. We've delayed enough."

"How cruel," Hisoka smirked and stepped next to his long raven haired boyfriend and leaned in close.

"You should help settle this~"

"No."

"Oh Illumi, that blank face you make is only making it worse!"

Illumi said nothing, annoyance clear on his face.

"Hisoka, we're here to-"

"Find your precious little brother and his little green friend, yes, I know, jeez you're like a broken record! We can relax! We made it to Yorknew, didn't we?"

"Yes, and that means we're close, which also means we shouldn't delay."

"Wrong! It means we  _should_ delay~!" Hisoka winked. Illumi scoffed silently. "My answer is no. I'm bringing Killua and Gon back to Kukuroo mountain. Maybe then we can do something about your constant problem."

"That's such a long wait! How cruel my boyfriend is, it's devastating!" Hisoka whined almost childishly.

Illumi shook his head and began walking forward towards Yorknew.

"Sooo is that a yes?" Hisoka caught up with him.

"No."

"Aww."

"Hisoka, just think about something else."

"How am I supposed to think of anything else when the image of the last look Gon gave me is so fresh in my mind now?"

Illumi rolled his eyes. "Figure it out. You're 27."

Hisoka sighed dramatically. "You're very brutal."

Illumi didn't say anything. Hisoka knew he didn't care.

Hisoka huffed and kept silent afterwards, falling in step behind Illumi, eyeing what bit of ass he could see.

And still no reaction, even though Hisoka was very certain Illumi knew what he was eyeing.

Well, that sucks.

~

As the day dragged on, with himself and Killua digging through rocks and Bisky happily following, Gon started feeling nauseous. He didn't know why. He didn't get sick often. And now was  _not_ the time to feel sick. Nope. Not at all.

So he kept quiet.

With each minute passing by, the feeling grew worse and worse. It took a long time for Gon to realize he  _wasn't_ sick...rather, he was starting to get a gut feeling. A gut wrenching feeling that made him feel sick to his stomach. Gon squeezed his eyes shut. Why did he feel like this? What could be going on that was so bad that Gon couldn't stand it?

Kurapika?

No, it wasn't the same as before. This was different.

Leorio?

No, he was at work. He was a doctor. Nothing should be happening.

Aunt Mito?

...Well, he wasn't sure. He sure hoped she was okay. He never wrote to her, despite insisting him telling Killua he would. But it didn't feel like it was his beloved Aunt. Though the thought of her did nag at his head. It had been for several days now.

Maybe it was his anxiety, or just him missing her. He didn't know.

But the feeling was...worse than just missing his Aunt.

"AAGGHH!" Gon finally whined aloud, startling Killua and Bisky.

"Gon?" Killua looked puzzled and slightly concerned.

"What is it?" Bisky asked.

"...Nothing," Gon didn't wanna worry them too much. Besides, it could be a false alarm. Even though his instincts were  _never_ wrong.

Killua's eyes narrowed and he opened his mouth to say something, but Bisky cut him off.

"You should probably keep going unless you want to be here all night."

"..." Gon could feel Killua's sapphire eyes piercing through his very soul. But he ignored it as they kept going.

For the next few hours, they dug, and dug, and dug, until Gon noticed an awkward bump several meters away. Curiosity got the best of him as he walked over to it.

"Oi! Gon! Where are you going?"

"I just wanna know what this is..." Gon got on his knees and carefully moved dirt away, until he saw a face, eyes still wide open, but the face was pale, and the stench...man, the stench was terrible!

Gon's honey brown eyes widened.

 _'Oh my god! This guy is dead!'_ he scrambled back with a cry of surprise and remorse.  _'Who would do this?!'_

"Gon! What the hell are you- oh."

Killua stopped by Gon, eyes wide in surprise. "Shit...Gon, look away," Killua stood the smaller boy up and turned him around, his pale hands already covering his eyes. Gon walked numbly. He saw a dead body. He  _saw a dead body._ And that traumatized him.

"You okay?" Killua asked gently.

"Y-yeah, I guess," Gon said, eyes watering slightly.

"Let's just keep digging, okay? We're close to Yorknew. I think I can see it in the distance!"

"What? Really?" Gon turned to where Killua was looking at as Killua removed his hand. Gon squinted then his eyes widened.

"Yeah! You're right! We're almost done! Thank you for helping us, Biscuit!" Gon said with a smile.

Biscuit waved his thanks off. "Please. You're not done yet. So don't thank me just yet."

"Alright. Come on, Killua! We'll make it back before dinner! I wonder what Kurapika is gonna make!"

"Homemade food does sound better than takeout," Killua agreed.

"HEY! If you want a homemade meal, you have to  _finish digging_! So  _get to it_!" Bisky snapped. Gon and Killua jumped in fear and grabbed their shovels and started digging immediately.

"Yes mam!"

~

The entire day was spent with Melody, until 5pm, when Neon and the others got back. Neon trilled on and on about all the  _adorable and fashionable_ clothes she bought. Basho held an armful of large boxes, and Linssen's arms were loaded with bags. Kurapika and Melody stopped by, blinking in surprise at how  _exhausted_ the other two males looked. Eliza stayed by Neon, listening politely as Neon grabbed one of the bags Linssen held, nearly making him topple over. Neon took out a beautiful light pink spaghetti strapped dress that fell to her ankles, a purple sash hung loosely at the hips.

"Doesn't this look beautiful?!"

"Yes, it does. It's perfect for you," Eliza smiled.

"Yay! I knew it!" Neon twirled around, holding the dress close to her happily. She turned to Kurapika and Melody. "It's beautiful, right?! And I'd look beautiful wearing it! Right? Right?"

"Yes, you would," Melody chuckled and nudged Kurapika, who suppressed a sigh. This wasn't part of his job, but...

"Yes."

Neon squealed and jumped around. "Come on! Let's go put the stuff in my room! Eliza will you prepare some tea please?"

"Of course," Eliza bowed slightly and stalked off to the kitchen.

Basho and Linssen followed Neon upstairs. The moment they were gone, Melody burst into a fit of giggles. "All these heartbeats together, excitement, happiness, exhaustion, dread, proud, all of them together over a shopping spree, it amuses me."

"Melody!" Kurapika admonished in shock. He didn't peg Melody the type to laugh at the others...suffering, so to speak.

"It's nothing serious, you should learn to laugh a little more," Melody smiled gently at him.

"...I suppose you're right," the corners of Kurapika's lips quirked upwards. "After all, what kind of bodyguard becomes this exhausted after a shopping trip?"

"Exactly!" Melody giggled again.

Kurapika managed a chuckle.

He couldn't believe he was actually laughing. It felt...good, almost nostalgic, to laugh alongside Melody. What with everything that's been going on, it's been incredibly difficult to even consider smiling and laughing so freely. 

He knew though, that this was a simple once in a blue moon moment. When he left, the good mood will diminish, and his mind will work a million miles a minute, thinking of how he could get to Chrollo. The leader of the Phantom Troupe. The rogue gang who murdered his family. His friends. His  _clan._

He couldn't bring himself to think of that now. It would only worry Melody. And she was having a good time too. Kurapika knew it's been hard for her too. She was the one who kept everyone from falling into depression, the one who took charge of all the mess from when Uvogin and Shizuku attacked. She deserved the break.

The rest of his shift went on, and soon enough, he went home, face immediately dropping back to his usual serious expression as he walked off.

_'What should I do..? I have no idea where their hideout is. They could be anywhere. And being nen users, they could be using hatsu to avoid any other nen user finding them. Not that the nen users would ever live to tell where they were. Whatever the case, I will find them. And I will utterly destroy them. This, I swear as a Kurta.'_

"Because...I have do it..." Kurapika said to himself softly, so focused on his thoughts, he didn't notice two men passing by. One with long black hair and blank eyes, and the other with red hair and narrow golden eyes.

"Chrollo Lucilfer...I'm coming for you...I will make you pay for all the lives you took. I will kill you." he said a tad bit louder in determination.

Unfortunately...he was so wrapped up in the thoughts of finding and killing Chrollo, he failed to notice the redhead stop and turn, a wild look on his face.

He also failed to notice the sharp card that was headed straight towards his back, and the bloodlust that followed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AND THE PART 1 END PLOT BEGINS! :D


	29. Trouble Ahead

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gon and Killua make it back to Yorknew.  
> Killua has a sense of dread.  
> Kurapika meets Hisoka and Illumi.  
> Illumi suspects Kurapika knows something.  
> Mito wakes up in a dungeon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OH MY GOD YALL I KNOW ITS BEEN ALMOST 2 MONTHS I AM /SO SORRY/ BUT LIKE, COLLEGE IS REALLY HARD AND ITS HARD TO WRITE AND I GOT WRITERS BLOCK!!! PLEASE FORGIVE ME!!! :,( I PROMISE I WILL DO MY BEST TO UPDATE QUICKER!!!  
> Another thing! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT IN THIS STORY!!! :D like I do see the comments and I get so happy knowing my shitty writing means something to yall!!  
> Enjoy this much needed chapter!!

 

"YEEAAAHH!" Gon and Killua kicked through the last of the rock and held their shovels up. "WE DID IT! WE DID IT! WE DID IT!" they cheered and high fived with proud grins. There, only meters away, was the city. Sure, it was late afternoon, Gon could only surmise it was around 7pm, they'd been there in the wasteland for thirteen hours. Or so. But damn they'd made so much progress. Gon himself felt stronger, like he woke up and left the apartment weak, and is coming back stronger than ever.

Killua most likely felt the same, going by his big toothy grin that Gon had loved since he first ever saw it.

"Good job boys!" Bisky smiled at the excited pre-teens.

"Thank you so much for your help, Miss Bisky! I feel like I can take on anyone and anything now!" Gon said with a determined smile.

"Now, don't get carried away, you still have lots of polishing!" Bisky lectured.

"Huuuh? But I feel like I'm at my absolute best! And plus I have a very strong technique!" Gon complained in confusion. Bisky wagged a finger at him. "That doesn't mean you've hit your limit. You're still young, many years of strength await you with a little more proper training."

Gon looked at her in amazement.

"Thats so awesome! So I'll be stronger than this one day? I can't wait to know how strong I can get! Once I hit my limit, I'll try sparring with you!"

Bisky chortled. "I doubt I'll be alive when you finally hit your full potential. But I look forward to the day I see you start to truly shine like the little diamond you are."

"Oi, Bisky, what about me?" Killua pointed at himself.

Bisky got in his face and poked his chest. "And you, you stubborn little brat, it won't take as much work, seeing as how you're already very strong, but one day you'll glisten like a true sapphire. I look forward to it and expect only the best from you!"

"Osu!" Killua smirked.

Bisky stepped back and put her hands on her hips as the boys turned to eachother.

"So do you think we're strong enough to take on Hisoka and your brother?" Gon asked.

Killua shook his head but smiled. "No, but we can give them a run for their money!"

"Mm! And if I have you with me, Killua, I know I can do it! Because you're my best friend in the whole wide world!"

Killua blushed. "Shut up stupid...but...with you by my side, I know I can do it too."

Gon's smile spread wide across his face as Bisky began to sob. They turned to her, shocked and a little concerned to see tears falling freely down her face. "You boys are too precious! You care so much for eachother! Its so beautiful!" she turned away. "Goodness, age must be catching up to me!"

Gon smiled awkwardly and Killua rolled his eyes.

She turned back to them.

"Now, go back to Yorknew and practice your nen! Make me proud, boys!"

"Osu!" both boys chorused, turning and walking back to their apartment.

Bisky smiled after them.  _'It's barely been a day and I already feel like they're my sons...those boys sure are special. And as long as they keep staying side by side, I'm positive they'll overcome anything that comes their way. After all, their friendship is stronger than any other that I've ever seen.'_

_~_

While the pre-teens headed back to the apartment, Killua began to feel...uneasy, like a black ball of anxiety washed over him. His eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Why did he feel this way? And why did this dark gut wrenching feeling seem so familiar?

For the life of him, Killua couldn't figure it out. His brain fried from a very long day of hard labor. His icy blue eyes flitted over to Gon to see if he noticed the presence, but he didn't seem to. Killua held back a sigh. So was he the only one who felt it?

Maybe it was his imagination. Like a hallucination after being in the hot sun, running, digging, using nen, all day long.

Yeah. That was probably it.

But no matter how many times he told himself it was just a hallucination, he didn't believe it. In fact, he became more and more doubtful as he kept going on about it.

Killua bit the inside of his lower lip in frustration. He had to figure out what this feeling was.

"Killua? Are you okay?" the tanned spiky haired boy next to him asked.

Killua blinked, feeling blood start to fill his mouth a little. He nodded and spat the blood on the ground and faked a smile. "Yeah. Fine. Everything's fine."

However, Gon saw right through this lie. His honey brown eyes narrowed but he didn't say anything. Probably not wanting to get into an argument at the moment. He could tell Killua was thinking, and hadn't yet reached a conclusion. Killua knew Gon would bug him about it later though, once, or if, he has reached said conclusion. But that was fine. What could possibly be so bad? Right?

"Man! I'm starved! Let's go see if Kurapika is home yet!" Killua said suddenly. Gon blinked by smiled. "Alright! Race you?"

"Haa? But I'm exhausted!" Killua grimaced.

"Hmm? Is Killua afraid to lose?" Gon taunted.

"What! As if! I can kick your ass any day, no matter how tired I am!" Killua snapped, falling for the bait rather quickly.

"Then race me home, chicken!" Gon stuck his tongue out.

"Oh, you're so on!" both boys faced forward, still walking.

"Ready?" Gon asked.

"Hell yeah."

"GO!"

And with that, they both took off running in the direction of Kurapika's apartment.

~

Kurapika gasped and whirled around, narrowly dodging the sharp card that headed towards his way.

"My, my, how impressive. Most people wouldn't have been able to dodge that~" the red haired man smirked and licked his lips.

"Who are you?" Kurapika demanded.

"Just a simple magician passing through with his beloved boyfriend~"

The raven haired man next to him rolled his eyes. Kurapika noted his eyes were rather dull.

"Now, my dear pretty boy, what were you saying earlier? Something about Chrollo Lucilfer?" the man looked intrigued. The raven haired man sighed. "Forget it, Hisoka, we don't have time for this," he said.

Kurapika's brows furrowed.  _'Hisoka..? Where have I heard that name..?'_

A moment passed, and Kurapika gasped softly.

...

_"We have to fight back...against Killua's brother Illumi and Hisoka."_

_"Illumi and Hisoka?" Kurapika repeated._

_Gon nodded sadly._

_..._

That was it. Gon mentioned Hisoka and Illumi going against Hisoka and Illumi. The raven haired man called the red haired one 'Hisoka', so Kurapika surmised the other was Illumi.

Hisoka and Illumi were in Yorknew. They were close to finding Gon and Killua.

_'What's going to happen to them if they're found? Surely at this time, they're not prepared to fight them. The bloodlust in their eyes...its too obvious. They're going to get killed if they find them. I refuse to let that happen. I won't lose anyone else. I cannot let them know I know where they are.'_

"Oh come now, Illumi!"

_'I was right. This man is Illumi. Should I tell Killua they're in town..? But if I did, would he go after them?'_

"Surely you can finish the little mission? I think I have some spare time to...catch up, to my dear old friend."

"What?" Kurapika breathed and glared at him. "You know Chrollo?"

"Do I know him?" Hisoka laughed. "He was my boyfriend, pretty boy."

Kurapika's eyes narrowed. "Then I have afew questions for you."

"Ooh~ an interrogation? I just love idle chat~"

"This isn't idle chat. I despise idle chat. I want you to come with me. Now." Kurapika said firmly.

"And if I don't?" Hisoka taunted.

"Then I will kill you."

Hisoka only laughed again. "I like you. Alright, I'll go with you. Illumi, dear, I'll catch up to you later."

"I want him with us," Kurapika said quickly.

"Oh? What for?" Hisoka looked displeased. As did Illumi, but a suspicious look crossed his face.

_'Did he figure out I know the boys..? ...No, impossible. I didn't give away any sort of hints.'_

"I don't trust you. You tried to kill me, whose to say you won't try again?" the lie rolled off his tongue easily. A very plausible lie, indeed.

"I won't do anything. And I am a man of my word," he winked. Kurapika suppressed a shudder of disgust. "Still, it's a good idea. What if I try to kill you?" he challenged.

Another laugh...but this one was darker. Much more sinister. "Oh, even if you try, you wouldn't be able to, pretty boy."

Kurapika felt his temper rise. "And what makes you so-"

Out of nowhere, Hisoka was right behind him, holding a sharp card to his neck. Kurapika gasped, involuntarily starting to sweat. Hisoka leaned in, his cold lips ever so slightly grazing his ear. "Trust me. You won't be able to. Now, be a good boy, lets go somewhere quieter and exchange information there. Illumi, you go on. Now, lead the way, pretty boy."

Kurapika swallowed and began to stiffly walk in a different direction, a destination already in mind.

~

Illumi watched as his boyfriend towered over the much smaller blonde boy, his brows furrowed. He knew that boy knew something. He just knew it. But he could tell, even if he was tortured, he wouldn't budge. His dark eyes had shined in determination, flaring up in anger, the spark in his eyes saying  _I'll kick your ass._

...Not that he could, anyway.

Should he question him anyway?

...No. It would be pointless. Illumi was fairly certain he'd be able to find Killua and Gon on his own anyway.

No, he was very certain.

~

Mito woke up with a splitting headache. She rose her head, only to realize it was dark. Almost to the point she couldn't see anything. The only lights around were torches hanging on the wall. Jeez, what was this? The 1800s?

Another thing she noticed was the heavy metal clinging tightly to her wrists. She tugged and realized the metal was connected to chains, which was connected to the wall. They were probably only four feet long at most.

"Where...where am I?" her voice was groggy. And why was she here? 

"Gon? Sweetie, are you here?" she called.

There was a shift in another cell next to hers. A little girl with long black hair and light blue eyes looked over.

"Mam? Did...did you say Gon?"

"Yes!" Mito gasped. "Is he here?"

The little girl shook her head sadly. "No. He's with Killua, but I don't know where they are. My big brother and his boyfriend are finding them."

"Oh...but that's a good thing right?"

The little girl's eyes widened. "Oh no, no! No it's not! It'll be bad if they find them!" she said. Mito felt her heart drop and she swallowed a lump in her throat.

"Why..?" she was afraid to ask.

"Well...for starters, my name is Alluka...and I'm Killua's little sister..."

And then, Alluka told her everything.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uh oh, Illumi is close to Killua and Gon! Will he find them soon? ;) find out within the next few chapters!!  
> Also, sorry this was abit shorter than the others....merely 1,8k words, but the next few should be longer!! :)


	30. Cornered Against the Wall

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kurapika talked with Hisoka.  
> Leorio worries over him.  
> Gon goes after Kurapika.  
> Mito gets angry.  
> Killua is terrified.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bada-bing bada-boom! I'm back! And here's the...wow, 30th chapter! Already! How time flies! :,D I hope you enjoy this chapter.

 

"Is here fine?" Kurapika asked stiffly.

"Yes, this will do fine," Hisoka said, looking around and licking his lips. Kurapika glared at him, using ren.

"Oh, ease up. I'm not interested in fighting you now. I want to know what you know about Chrollo."

Kurapika's eyes narrowed. "First things first. Tell me how you know him." he demanded in his quiet tone. Hisoka gave a hearty laugh. "I told you earlier, didn't I? He's my ex-boyfriend."

"When was he your boyfriend?"

"Let's see now...we became lovers six years ago. My, how time flies, doesn't it?"

Kurapika twitched angrily. "Shut your mouth. Only talk when I ask you a question. Were you a member of the Phantom Troupe five years ago, when they slaughtered the Kurta?"

"The Kurta? Hmm. Can't say I was. We were together for eight months, after all." Hisoka said thoughtfully.

"Do they move hideouts frequently?" Kurapika asked. Hisoka hummed. "They tend to stay in a place for awhile, but usually leave after a few months."

"So then you have no idea where they are?"

"Nope."

"Damn..."

"But, if they're in Yorknew, I can guarantee I will be able to find them within a day."

Kurapika's eyes narrowed and he clenched his fists. Hisoka smirked. "What's wrong? Not going to ask me where I think they are?" he taunted.

"I refuse to seek help from someone who doesn't have concrete information. Why do you want to find him anyway?"

Hisoka leaned back. "Because I want to be the one to kill him."

"I won't let-!" he was cut off with a card held to his neck. He gasped and stood still as to not flinch. Hisoka smiled a sickly sweet smile. "I want to fight him, and kill him. It's a challenge that I can't resist."

"So are you trying to test your strength..?"

"Something like that. But the thought of that look he gives..." he moaned, "it really turns me on."

Kurapika stared at him.

Moments later, he heard (and felt) his cellphone buzz. He didn't move. Hisoka pulled back and smiled again. "Do answer it."

Kurapika hesitated but reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone, seeing the name  _Leorio_ flashing across the screen. He sighed in irritation. He chose now of all times to call?

Nevertheless, he pressed answer and brought the phone to his ear. "What is it? I'm busy."

_"Wow, that's cold. Anyway, where are you? Its almost 9! You're never this late! You're not in any trouble are you?"_

"No. I was just stopped by a magician. I'll be back shortly."

_"A magician?"_

"I'll see you at home."

_"Wait! Hold on a second! Kurapika!"_

He ended the call and turned his phone off, slipping it back into his pocket and turned back to Hisoka with a glare. Hisoka leaned forward. "You have to go so soon? Well, how about you meet me here again tomorrow? Same time. I'll know where Chrollo's hideout is by then. We can...work together. I bring you to the spiders web, and after you're done, I get to kill Chrollo. Is that agreeable?"

"I don't have much of a choice."

"Just one question."

"What is it?"

"What exactly do you plan on doing when you get there? Are you going to kill them all?"

Kurapika paused and looked down. "I...I don't know. I haven't thought it through."

"Well, we still have time. Toodles." Hisoka walked away, raising a hand. "Don't forget. Same time tomorrow."

Kurapika stared after him and looked away, frowning to himself.

_'When I find Chrollo...what AM I going to do...?'_

~

"Dammit! Stupid Kurapika!" Leorio hissed. "Doesn't he know I'm worried?"

Knowing that stupid, smug blonde, he was probably getting himself into more trouble. Dammit, did he want to give Leorio a heart attack? If he did, he's doing a pretty damn good job of doing so.

"Leorio! We're back!" Gon called happily.

"Hey old man. Why do you look so upset? Ever think this is why you have so many wrinkles?" Killua smirked.

"Wrinkles?! I'm not old!" Leorio screeched. Both kids had the gall to laugh.

"So? You were glaring pretty hardcore at your phone. Kurapika running late again?"

"Yeah. I called him earlier and he barely said anything. He said something about a magician holding him up. Sounded pretty serious too."

"Hold up! A magician?" Gon looked scared. Leorio nodded. "Yeah. On his way back he was stopped by a magician."

Gon and Killua shot eachother looks, seemingly having a silent conversation.

"What?"

"Did Kurapika say where he was?"

"No."

"Dammit!" Gon hissed and ran out.

"Oi! Gon! Wait a minute!" Killua ran out after him.

Leorio stood there with a confused look on his face."The hell is their deal?"

~

Gon ran through the streets of Yorknew, looking around desperately. "KURAPIKAAAAAA!" he called. He swallowed a nervous lump in his throat.

"Gon!"

"KURAPIKAAAA!"

"Gon! Stop! Kurapika's on his way back, so just relax okay?"

Gon shook his head rapidly. "No! What if it's Hisoka? What if he's killing Kurapika?"

"You're being ridiculous! Come on! Let's go back!" Killua pleaded.

"But Killua! We need to help Kurapika!" Gon teared up and looked forward, bottom lip jutting out.

...

_"What are your names? I'm Kurapika, and that's Leorio. My boyfriend." Kurapika had a soft look on his face._

_..._

_"Don't worry. I'll go get your laundry out of the dryer and bring them back, after your done, we can leave. That sound good?"_

_"Yep!"_

_"Yeah."_

_"Great, I'll be back," and with that, Kurapika left._

_.._

_There was a flash of blue, gold, and white that darted past the two boys, shoving the girl, who was on her knees trying to rub the blood off of her scraped knee, out of the way. She skidded until she hit the curb, scraping her elbows and hitting her head, hard enough to hurt, but not enough to make it bleed._

_Kurapika, meanwhile, wasn't so lucky._

_He didn't have enough time to react after he shoved her out of the way. Mere seconds afterwards, the car had slammed directly into him. Gon and Killua ran over, shouting in a horrified terror._

_"KURAPIKA!!!"_

_..._

_"Kurapika! You're awake!" Gon cried. Kurapika let out a breathy laugh. "Yeah, I'm awake. Are you both okay? Nothing bad happened the past few days? Who's been taking care of you?" Kurapika asked._

_..._

_"I swear on my life as a Kurtan..." Kurapika rose his head, his eyes, while still red, were soulless, devoid of any emotion. "I will utterly annihilate them."_

_..._

_"We'll all make it through this, right, Kurapika?" Gon asked hesitantly. Kurapika took a breath and let it out, giving him a small smile._

_"Yeah, everything's gonna be fine."_

_..._

"Kurapika...whose been through so much...and has been there for us. He needs us. I don't...I can't...I won't let him down. I just..."

"Gon..."

"Come on, Killua...please?"

"And what if Illumi is there with him?" Killua challenged. Gon looked at him, brown eyes sparkling in determination. "Then we'll fight him! And we would win!"

Killua sighed and smiled wryly. "You're always so full of crazy ideas."

Gon only smiled.

~

"You...what?" Mito whispered brokenly. "You're saying your parents abused Killua? And now they plan on finding them both and they plan on hurting them?"

Alluka nodded.

"That...what kind of parent are they?!" Mito glared at the cell doors in anger. "How dare they! MR. ZOLDYCK! MRS. ZOLDYCK! GET DOWN HERE!"

Alluka gasped in fear. "Please, mam, don't do anything rash!"

"Do you think I'll just sit back and let this happen? I am Mito Freecss! And I refuse to let fully grown people hurt children any longer!"

"Well, aren't you a tenacious woman?"

Mito gasped in surprise. Alluka tugged at her chains. "Wait! Kalluto, don't hurt her!"

"It's you..! You're the one who showed up at my house!" Mito seethed. Kalluto nodded. "Correct."

"Why?! What have I ever done to you?!"

"It's nothing personal. Honestly. We just needed you as a leverage. To draw out your nephew and my brother."

"Gon would never-!"

"You think so? Once Gon hears his dear Aunt Mito is in custody of a dangerous family...well, he's bound to come running with Killua in tow."

"You rotten little child!"

"That's not nice."

"And kidnapping me is?!"

Kalluto chuckled. "True. But we weren't going to harm you. But if you don't shut your mouth, I'll cut off your fingers. One. By. One."

Mito gasped.

"Kalluto! Th-that's enough! Stop it! Now!"

"You, dear sister, need to keep quiet."

"Now, I'm sure Illumi has found them by now." And with that, Kalluto left the isolation room.

Mito looked over at Alluka in panic. "We have to go! Now!"

"I'd love to, mam. But even if we could get free from these chains, I can't walk. Let alone run. My legs are broken."

"They're..!"

"Broken. Crushed. My ankles are also twisted and I know many of my ribs are broken too. I think my right arm is broken too."

"Oh my god..." Mito teared up.

"Please, if you can escape, leave me behind."

"Are you crazy?! If I do, they might hurt you more!"

"Mam..."

"I'm staying. I won't leave you alone any longer, Alluka."

Alluka sniffled. "You truly are Gon's aunt."

Mito smiled gently at her and looked back at the cell with a sad frown.

_'Gon...my sweet baby boy, please be careful...'_

~

Every instinct in Killua's body screamed to turn back. Now. But he didn't listen. He couldn't. Gon was scared and he needed him. He won't leave Gon's side. Not now. Not ever. And if Gon was gonna go after a psychopathic magician and fight him head on, so will he!

...Well, that's what he'd like to think.

Killua was terrified. Terrified of Hisoka. Terrified of Illumi. Terrified of his family.

Surely Gon knew this?

But Killua knew there was no changing his mind. Once Gon made up his mind, he wouldn't take it back. He will go forward and not look back once.

That's why Gon mattered so much to him. He doesn't care about the past. If someone can overlook someone else's past, and see them for who they are now in the present, well, it just makes them an amazing person. And Gon is the definition of amazing. He was...light.

_Yes..._

_'Gon is light. Sometimes he shines so brightly I have to look away. But even so, is it really okay for me to stay by your side?'_

"I can't sense anyone!" Gon complained.

"I don't either. Maybe-"

"Maybe we're too late! No! It can't be too late! Kurapika won't die like that!"

"Gon..."

"We just...we have to be on time..."

"I found you."

Both boys gasped and whirled around. Killua froze in horror. "No way..."

A tall, slender, black haired man walked from the shadows.

"I-Illumi..."

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The time has come! The moment you have all been waiting for! Illumi has finally found Killua! It took 30 chapters but he did it! >_> comments are welcomed with open arms.

**Author's Note:**

> "How much does it take to make a person break?"  
> Comments are greatly appreciated! :D


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